Marley's Freedom possible for Go for Wand Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. – Grade 1 winner Marley’s Freedom rebounded from her subpar effort in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and could ship to Aqueduct to start in the Grade 3, $250,000 Go for Wand Handicap on Dec. 1, according to trainer Bob Baffert.

Marley’s Freedom worked a sharp half-mile in 47.60 seconds Wednesday at Santa Anita, the fastest of the day. Plans call for Marley’s Freedom to remain in training as a 5-year-old in 2019.

“We want to try to stretch her out next year and see what she does,” Baffert said, while second-guessing himself for not giving Marley’s Freedom a prep race prior to her fourth-place finish in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.

“I wish I would have prepped her, she’s a heavy filly and she likes racing,” Baffert said. “She didn’t run her race, and she got beat a half-length.”

Marley’s Freedom was favored at 9-10 in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, her first start in more than two months. She raced wide and closed belatedly for fourth. She previously won three graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Ballerina in August at Saratoga. Marley’s Freedom has won six races and $678,435 from 13 starts.

◗ Improbable, the Baffert-trained 2-year-old who scored an impressive win in the Street Sense Stakes on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs, posted his first workout since on Thursday at Santa Anita. Improbable worked a half-mile in 48.80, by himself, and runs next in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 8.