Solid Wager sticks to the plan to win Toboggan
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Chris Englehart hadn’t had Solid Wager in his barn very long, and jockey Jose Lezcano had never been on the 8-year-old gelding in any of his previous 48 starts.
In watching replays of Solid Wager’s races, Englehart and Lezcano concluded separately that the California-bred prefers to run on the outside of other horses.
After watching inside speed dominate Saturday’s first four races at Aqueduct, Englehart was a bit worried that an outside closer such as Solid Wager might be up against it in the $100,000 Toboggan Stakes.
“Not enough that I wanted to change what he wants to do,” Englehart said.
So, Englehart and Lezcano stuck with the plan, and it paid off, as Solid Wager, last of five early, rallied five wide in the stretch and ran down the pacesetting Skyler’s Scramjet to win the Grade 3 Toboggan by 1 1/2 lengths. Skyler’s Scramjet finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of 3-2 favorite Gold for the King. Bal Harbour and Colonel Sharp completed the order of finish.
The win was the 11th from 49 starts for Solid Wager, a gelding by Birdonthewire owned by Gary Barber and Stanford Stable. It was his fifth stakes win and second in a graded event. He won the Grade 3 Midnight Lute at Santa Anita on Dec. 31, 2016.
Solid Wager, trained in California by Peter Miller, is the first horse Englehart has run for Barber. He has another entered at Parx on Tuesday. Barber shipped Solid Wager to Englehart about two weeks ago, shortly after the horse finished third in an allowance race at Santa Anita on New Year’s Day.
On Saturday, Solid Wager broke from the outside post in this five-horse field and was kept out in the clear as Skyler’s Scramjet, under Dylan Davis, set the pace, chased by Colonel Sharp. The half-mile went in a quick 45.81 seconds.
Solid Wager advanced steadily into contention and was five wide turning for home. Skyler’s Scramjet put away Colonel Sharp and was one length clear at the eighth pole. Solid Wager, despite not changing leads, steadily closed the gap on Skyler’s Scramjet and took the lead inside the sixteenth pole.
Solid Wager covered the seven furlongs in 1:23.95 over a fast track and returned $12.20 as the third choice.
“I watched his replays, and he looks like he’s more comfortable going around horses,” Lezcano said. “The last race, he was inside, and he didn’t look comfortable.”
Englehart said he isn’t sure how long Solid Wager will remain with him, but if he stays in New York, the most logical next spot for him would be the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool here on March 9.
