Tom Fool Handicap has depth

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mind Control and Happy Farm will rightfully take the bulk of the money in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap. While neither would be a surprise winner of the six-furlong sprint over Aqueduct’s main track, the list of contenders runs deeper.

While this has been a frustrating winter for trainer Michelle Nevin, she does send out two interesting prospects in the Tom Fool that could surprise.

In Skyler’s Scramjet, who has not run in seven months, Nevin has the 2018 Tom Fool winner and 2019 Grade 1 Carter runner-up. In Wonderful Light, Nevin sends out last November’s Grade 3 Fall Highweight runner-up.

Skyler’s Scramjet is winless in nine starts since taking the 2018 Tom Fool. He finished second in four of those races. He’s been off since last August dealing with foot issues and also was in need of a break, according to Nevin.

“It took a little longer than we expected to get him back, but since he’s come back in, he’s been like clockwork,” Nevin said.

Skyler’s Scramjet typically stalks the pace and figures to benefit from his outside draw. Manny Franco rides.

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After finishing second to Happy Farm in the Fall Highweight, Wonderful Light came back two weeks later and finished fourth, four lengths behind Firenze Fire in the Gravesend. Nevin said Wonderful Light popped a quarter crack in the race, which is in part why he has not run since Dec. 22.

“We finally got that under control and got back to business, and he’s been doing really well,” said Nevin, who has Luis Saez to ride from post 3.

There does appear to be plenty of pace with Happy Farm, Wentz, and Mind Control in the field.

Mind Control, a multiple Grade 1 winner, made a successful 4-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Toboggan on Jan. 25, fending off Nicodemus by a nose. That was his first start since winning the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens last August.

Mind Control cuts back to six furlongs, a distance at which he has not run since winning a maiden race at Monmouth in August 2018. He figures to be on or close to the pace under Junior Alvarado, who will be aboard for the first time.

“We can dictate it or he can clock horses. I’ll leave it up to Junior,” trainer Gregg Sacco said.

Happy Farm, trained by Jason Servis, was a front-running winner of the Fall Highweight and nearly stole the Gravesend on the front end before being run down by stablemate Firenze Fire. Firenze Fire came back to win in the Grade 3 General George at Laurel Park.

Mr. Dougie Fresh, Sicilia Mike, and Bon Raison complete the field.

Two stand out in Stymie

Diamond King, unraced since October, and Wicked Trick, unbeaten in six starts since July, head a field of seven entered to run a one-turn mile in the $125,000 Stymie Stakes.

Diamond King, trained by John Servis for Cash Is King and LC Racing, has not raced since he finished fifth behind Maximum Security in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler last Oct. 26. Maximum Security has since come back to win the Grade 1 Cigar Mile and last Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup.

“His race against Maximum Security was a pretty solid race,” Servis said. “I think he was getting a little tired and was ready for a break. He’s been knocking on the door in some really good races. His winter has gone great, he’s training really well. I expect a big effort from him.”

Kendrick Carmouche rides Diamond King from post 6.

Wicked Trick steps into stakes company after winning six straight in the claiming/allowance ranks. He was scratched from the Grade 3 General George on Feb. 15 with colic-like symptoms and then missed out on an allowance race when high winds scrapped the Feb. 27 card.

He did put in a very strong five-furlong work on Monday when he went five furlongs in 1:00.45 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.70 over the Belmont training track.

“I’m excited about running him,” trainer Linda Rice said. “He won impressively going a mile against a group of $25,000 claimers, so this will be a real test for him. He did have a real nice breeze the other day.”

Completing the field are American Anthem, a troubled fourth to Mind Control in the Grade 3 Toboggan; Stan the Man, last of five in the Jazil; and Lone Rock, Joevia, and Backsideofthemoon.

The Stymie goes as race 7 and kicks off the all-stakes late pick-4.