My Wandy's Girl brings bullet workout into Ruffian Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – My Wandy’s Girl has been based at Belmont Park since late summer 2012, but until Monday, she had never raced or worked out over the main track.

If My Wandy’s Girl runs over it Sunday the way she worked over it last Monday, she’ll have an excellent chance to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Ruffian Stakes. On Monday, My Wandy’s Girl breezed a half-mile in 46.89 seconds, the fastest of 46 works at the distance.

“She’s never breezed that aggressive before,” said Mike Hushion, who trains My Wandy’s Girl.

Aggressive might be the way to go for My Wandy’s Girl in the Ruffian, a race with six horses, four of whom, as Hushion noted, “want to lay second or third, a length and a half off it.”[bc_video_id:324013:]

That includes My Wandy’s Girl, who was pressing a realistic pace Feb. 22 in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park, a race she won by a length over La Verdad, the talented New York-bred filly who came back to win the Grade 2 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct. My Wandy’s Girl has not raced since then by design, as Hushion wants to have a fresh filly for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap here June 7, when she would meet Beholder, Princess of Sylmar, and Close Hatches.

“If our goal is the Ogden Phipps, I thought this race is a better plan,” Hushion said.

My Wandy’s Girl, a 5-year-old daughter of Flower Alley, has only run twice in 13 months, owing to little things that have forced Hushion to stop. Though her performance in the Garland of Roses over Aqueduct’s inner track in December was poor, My Wandy’s Girl rebounded with a very good effort in the Fritchie, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I was very impressed that [Rajiv] Maragh realized she’s a filly that sometimes has to be told what to do. She doesn’t always take you there,” Hushion said. “I didn’t want him to let her loaf and then have to wind her up.”

My Wandy’s Girl, with Maragh, will break from post 2 and carry the co-highweight of 123 pounds along with Grace Hall.

Grace Hall, the winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes in 2011, is making her first start since finishing last as the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap 13 months ago. She came out of the race with a fractured foot and, in the interim, has been moved to trainer Bill Mott, who had her at Payson Park most of the winter.

“We’ve got a fair amount of work in her. She should be pretty fit,” Mott said. “Now, you never know with one who hasn’t been out in a year. It could take a race to get back into the groove, but she’s been willing.”

Joel Rosario rides Grace Hall from post 5.

Fiftyshadesofhay has not won since taking the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico last May. She finished sixth in March in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita. Trainer Bob Baffert took her to Churchill but wasn’t crazy about how Fiftyshadesofhay moved over that surface, so he opted to point for this spot.

“We’re in a position where we’re trying to find the right spot for her,” Baffert said. “She should be competitive.”

Six Queens and Parc Monceau, recent allowance winners over Aqueduct’s main track, and Toasting, an overnight stakes winner over Belmont’s main track last fall, complete the field.