Today's Flavor stakes-bound after quick allowance win
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Following his fourth consecutive victory – and first against open company – the New York-bred Today’s Flavor is headed for stakes company for his next start. One of his options could be the Grade 1 Carter on April 8 at Aqueduct.
“Nominations close two weeks out, if the horse is doing well, he will be nominated and we will consider it,” trainer George Weaver said Sunday.
Today’s Flavor is nominated to the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool here March 4, but that race comes two weeks after Today’s Flavor recorded a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure in winning an open first-level allowance race by 6 1/2 lengths. He ran six furlongs in 1:09.84, the fastest six-furlong race of the winter. Weaver said he is unlikely to wheel the horse back on such short rest.
Prior to Saturday, Today’s Flavor had won a maiden and two allowance races – all against New York-breds. Weaver said he considered running Today’s Flavor in Saturday’s Grade 3 General George at Laurel Park, but opted for the more conservative route.
“We took what was in front of us,” Weaver said. “We didn’t want to bite off more than he could handle. He’s really, really talented. You can’t do what he’s done, the way he’s done it, without being really talented. How far he can go up the class ladder, we’re just going to have to find out.”
Before he shipped to New York and Weaver last year, Today’s Flavor had run second in three open-company maiden races for Doug O’Neill at Santa Anita, including behind Laurel River and Essential Wager, both horses who went on to become graded stakes winners.
“I think he has very dangerous speed,” Weaver said. “I imagine going seven-eighths or a mile he’d be cruising even easier. [Saturday], he drew off after being under pressure the whole way.”
Today’s Flavor is a 5-year-old gelding by Laoban owned by Paul and Zilla Reddam.
Another older New York-bred who is likely stakes-bound is Overstep, who won a second-level New York-bred allowance Sunday by a half-length. It was Overstep’s second straight win since returning from a 15-month layoff for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola. Overstep, an older half-brother to the 3-year-old New York-bred stakes winner Arctic Arrogance, is 3 for 4 overall.
Overstep, by Into Mischief, ran a mile in 1:36.60 and earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.
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