McAfee under consideration for Wood Memorial
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Rick Dutrow already has one horse, Captain Cook, headed for the Wood Memorial on April 5, but the trainer is considering getting McAfee to that race as well.
McAfee, who was scratched out of the Jerome Stakes six weeks ago due to a leg infection, returns in a softer spot Friday at Aqueduct when he heads an eight-horse field in a starter allowance/optional $50,000 claiming race going a mile that serves as the feature on an eight-race program.
A half-brother to 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, McAfee ran twice in 24 days at Churchill Downs last November. He won his debut, a race for horses who sold at their most recent auction (or failed to meet their reserve) for $50,000 or less, by 3 1/4 lengths. He came back in a one-mile starter allowance, where he was beaten a head by Optical, a race in which McAfee found himself on the inside.
McAfee has drawn the outside post on Friday.
“I like his post because he gets to use his stride,” Dutrow said. “Last time, him being down on the inside, he didn’t have the opportunity to reach out all the time. He was in cramped quarters, but he kept going, he kept digging. That was only his second start.”
Dutrow said McAfee had a cut on his leg leading up to the Jerome and an infection developed. He felt the horse could have run in the race or even a week later. The horse remained in light training but went three weeks without a published workout.
“I’m not afraid to run him in this spot if they let him run,” Dutrow said. “The cut’s been healed up for a month.”
Dutrow said a good performance Friday could lead McAfee to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 5.
“That’s in a dream,” Dutrow said. “Hopefully, he wants to go that far. I have no idea.”
Dutrow also has Akinmusire in Friday’s race, though he is not certain to run. Akinmusire is only 1 for 7, but he’s finished worse than third just once in seven starts. He finished third to McAfee in a Churchill maiden race.
My Mitole finished fifth in a June 15 maiden race at Aqueduct that has proven to be instrumental. My Mitole was one of three next-out winners from that race. Granted, the win didn’t come until Nov. 7, when he won a maiden/optional $50,000 claiming race by three-quarters of a length.
My Mitole was scratched at the gate prior to a Dec. 6 first-level allowance race won by Cyclone State, a horse My Mitole worked in company with a few days earlier. Trainer Carlos Martin still isn’t sure what happened to necessitate the scratch, but he likes the way the horse has trained recently.
“I’m optimistic he’s going to run well,” Martin said.
Arcadian won twice in a week’s time, first taking a $20,000 claimer by 9 1/4 lengths on Jan. 10, then coming back a week later to win in a spot similar to this by four lengths. I’m Solo N in Love, Millibar, Brave Bear, and Saratoga Warrior complete the field.
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