Once rivals, Watasha and Southern Flag now play for same team

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On Oct. 9, Watasha beat Southern Flag by five lengths in a seven-furlong maiden race at Aqueduct. Since then, Southern Flag has come back to earn his maiden victory and Watasha has become his stablemate in the Bill Mott barn.

Sunday, Watasha and Southern Flag give Mott the chance to win two races at Aqueduct as they wound up in separate divisions of a split first-level allowance condition going a mile that highlights the 10-race card. Sunday’s program, which begins at 11:50 a.m., is the last one before this circuit goes on a 10-day holiday break. Racing resumes its normal schedule on Dec. 29.

Watasha was coming off a seven-month layoff for trainer Chad Brown when he rolled to a five-length, front-running score over Southern Flag. In his subsequent start, Watasha broke outward at the start, bumped with another horse, and was steadied back to last. He made a middle move while wide and continued wide through the stretch before flattening out and finishing fifth.

Reggae Music Man and Life Changer, fourth and third in that Nov. 5 race, came back to finish first and second, respectively, in this condition in their next start.

Watasha has since been purchased privately by a group that includes Adam Wachtel, Gary Barber, and Len Schleifer’s Pantofel Stable and moved to Mott, who will start him for the first time Sunday.

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Watasha will break from post 8 in the nine-horse field and will be ridden by Dylan Davis.

The New York-bred Curlin’s Wisdom, drawn to Watasha’s outside, is in terrific form for Linda Rice. Curlin’s Wisdom has three wins and two seconds in his last five starts, including a runner-up finish in this condition Dec. 2. While he won a statebred allowance going a one-turn mile on Oct. 6, Curlin’s Wisdom has seen his speed figures improve since stretching out to 1 1/8 miles.

Shipsational, a two-time New York-bred stakes winner at 2, has struggled to regain his best form in three starts since returning from injury following a third in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. Trainer Ed Barker is adding blinkers to his equipment Sunday.

Up to the Mark and Patient Capital are contenders in this spot.

In race 8, Southern Flag will try to build on his game Nov. 18 maiden victory when he meets winners for the first time. In that race, Southern Flag raced on the inside of American Law for the final half-mile while both were chasing leader Vodka Mardini. Southern Flag proved best by a head over American Law at the wire.

Money Supply began his career with a promising debut victory at Tampa Bay Downs in February. After running fifth in the Lafayette Stakes at Keeneland in April, Money Supply has gone winless in four tries at this condition. He did finish second to Winit here Oct. 29 while four lengths clear of Three Jokers, who also is in this field. Three Jokers is expected to scratch from Saturday’s $100,000 Alex Robb Stakes for this spot.

Blake B., coming off a sharp starter-allowance score here Nov. 19, is another contender in this spot.

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