Invaders shop for a win in Go for Wand
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The holidays usually bring a plethora of out-of-town visitors to New York, fueling the local economy. On Black Friday – the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season – there are three out-of-town trainers looking to bring home the lion’s share of the $300,000 purse in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap at Aqueduct.
Trainers Brad Cox and Simon Callaghan, in from Kentucky and California, are making their Aqueduct debuts in the Go for Wand, carded as a one-turn-mile race. Cox sends out Spelling Again, the winner of the Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill Downs last out. Callaghan has shipped in Taris, third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Marty Wolfson, based in south Florida, has sent in Kiss to Remember, coming off a ninth-place finish in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Kiss to Remember finished second in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga in her last New York visit.
A fourth shipper, Playful Love, is coming off a win, albeit in a first-level allowance at Penn National.
The local contingent is led by America, the winner of the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm, and Willet, the 7-year-old New York-bred mare who is running in this race for the fourth consecutive year. Mei Ling completes the seven-horse field.
Friday’s card also features the $150,000 King’s Swan for 2-year-olds, which goes as the third race. The Go for Wand runs as the eighth. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.
KEY CONTENDERS
Spelling Again (Last 3 Beyers: 88-86-88)
◗ She is 3 for 3 on dry dirt tracks, including a 4 1/2-length victory in the Chilukki, a one-turn-mile race Nov. 7.
◗ Trainer Cox said he is “a little concerned” about bringing her back in 20 days but said Spelling Again is showing no signs of fatigue. She worked a half-mile in 48 seconds on Nov. 20, the fourth-fastest of 68 moves at the distance that day at Churchill.
“She looked as good in that work as she did in the two works prior to the Chilukki,” said Cox, who has Luis Saez to ride from post 3.
Taris (Last 3 Beyers: 91-92-91)
◗ Though her five wins – including a debut victory over Aqueduct’s inner track in 2014 – have come by a combined 36 3/4 lengths, she has not won beyond seven furlongs. Her lone race beyond that distance resulted in a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Honeybee, her only race around two turns.
Callaghan said the “one-turn mile is going to suit her, and the track at Aqueduct should play to her strength.”
“She’s going to be pretty close to the lead,” he said.
◗ Gary Stevens rides Taris. Stevens has not ridden at Aqueduct since winning the Grade 1 Carter on Congaree in 2003.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Taris. Trainer Simon Callaghan is 5-3-0-2 with a $6.60 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route with Gary Stevens aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Kiss to Remember (Last 3 Beyers: 82-86-90)
◗ Made little impact when beaten six lengths in BC Filly and Mare Sprint but did run three strong races before that, including a one-length loss in the Ballerina going seven furlongs.
◗ Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard in the Ballerina, has the call.
Mo for the Money tops King’s Swan
Mo for the Money got away at 8-1 when he took his career debut in the mud at Belmont Park on Oct. 28. He won’t offer much value but looks very much like the horse to beat in the King’s Swan for 2-year-olds at six furlongs.
Mo for the Money defeated Seymourdini by a half-length in his debut. Seymourdini came back to win a one-mile maiden race by nine lengths last Sunday.
Mo for the Money, a son of Uncle Mo trained by Tony Dutrow, breaks from the rail under Javier Casatellano.
Spooked Out, a 9 1/2-length maiden winner against New York-breds on Nov. 7, tops the competition. Jan’s Reserve, Sallisaw, and In R Defence complete the field.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Playful Love. Trainer Graham Motion is 17-1-0-3 with a $1.14 ROI over the past five years in graded stakes on dirt on the NYRA circuit. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan