Ladies Handicap looks like battle of New York-breds

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred stakes winners Wonder Gal, Saythreehailmary’s, and Sheriffa make up half of the six-horse field entered for Sunday’s $100,000 Ladies Handicap, scheduled for a mile and 70 yards over Aqueduct’s inner track.

Wonder Gal won the Empire Distaff two starts back and finished a well-beaten third behind Forever Unbridled and Carrumba in the Grade 3 Comely Stakes over Aqueduct’s main track on Nov. 28. Saythreehailmary’s is coming off a 1 1/4-length victory in the Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-breds on Dec. 12. Sheriffa finished second in the Bay Ridge after opening up a 2 1/4-length lead in midstretch. Last year, Sheriffa won two route races over the inner track and the Critical Eye Stakes, a one-turn mile, at Belmont, defeating Saythreehailmary’s.

Completing the Ladies field are Mei Ling, second to Taris in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap on Nov. 27; Sustainable, an allowance winner going a one-turn mile over Aqueduct’s main track; and Stroke Play, fourth in the Comely.

The Ladies is carded as race 3 on Sunday’s nine-race program.