Sharp Starr primed for Go for Wand repeat
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – When Sharp Starr won last year’s Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap at Aqueduct, she did so off a dominant win against New York-breds in her previous start.
When Sharp Starr goes for a repeat victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Go for Wand Handicap going a mile at Aqueduct, she does so off a dominant win in the $250,000 Empire Distaff against New York-bred females last time out.
The win in the Empire Distaff was Sharp Starr’s first since she won the 2020 Go for Wand. She raced three more times following the Go for Wand and needed a summer break. When she returned in an allowance race at Saratoga, Sharp Starr finished fifth of six. Horacio DePaz, the trainer of Sharp Starr, said that race didn’t go to plan, with Sharp Starr pressing a relatively quick early pace.
“Johnny [Velazquez] said she’s really going to get a lot out of that race,” DePaz said. “She was fresh, she broke on top, she was sharp, and obviously got tired.”
In the Empire Distaff, Sharp Starr was last early and came with a strong late run under Jose Ortiz, who will be back aboard the 4-year-old daughter of Munnings on Saturday.
“She usually places herself forwardly, but Jose came to the paddock said ‘I’m going to take her back’ and she made that late run,” DePaz said. “She’s a pretty versatile filly and can go either way.”
Sharp Starr drew the outside post in the seven-horse field.
The Go for Wand field includes the Southern California-based Bella Vita, who is coming off a victory in the Betty Grable Stakes going seven furlongs last month at Del Mar. Trained by Simon Callaghan, Bella Vita will be attempting a mile on dirt for the first time.
Joel Rosario rides from post 3.
Lady Rocket and Truth Hurts each won a division of the Pumpkin Pie Stakes on Oct. 30 at Belmont. Lady Rocket won the faster of the two divisions for her third win in her last four starts. Her lone loss during that span came to Grade 1 winner Bella Sofia in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom.
Lady Rocket, trained by Brad Cox, looks to be the primary speed under Irad Ortiz Jr. breaking from post 2.
Truth Hurts is 2 for 3 at a one-turn mile, including an allowance win here in January 2020 and a victory in the off-the-turf Perfect Sting Stakes at Belmont.
So Darn Hot has done her best work in races run around one turn. She is coming off a second-place finish behind Gibberish in the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm, run at 1 1/8 miles at Belmont, and may appreciate cutting back to a mile.
Miss Marissa is at her best around two turns, including a victory in the Delaware Handicap earlier this year. Honor Way, supplemented to the race, is a multiple stakes winner sprinting, but will try the mile in what is expected to be her last start before she goes through the auction ring in January.
Saturday's Aqueduct card will start with $729,611 pick six carryover after the bet went unhit last Sunday and Thursday.