'Troy' will race once more at home

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Achilles of Troy, the 14-length winner of the Count Fleet Stakes here last month, will make his next start in the $65,000 Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 11 before most likely leaving town in his bid to make it to the Kentucky Derby.

Ernie Paragallo, who heads the Paraneck Stable which owns Achilles of Troy, said he considered shipping his 3-year-old to Oaklawn Park for the $250,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20, but decided to stay home.

"I live here,'' Paragallo said. "I don't know about Bill Clinton country.''

At 1 1/16 miles, the Whirlaway is only 40 yards longer than the Count Fleet. In the Count Fleet, Achilles of Troy stalked a hot pace, made an eye-catching move around the far turn, and set a stakes record by running a mile and 70 yards in 1:39.61.

Achilles of Troy, a son of Notebook, lost his first three starts before winning a six-furlong maiden race in the slop by 4 1/2 lengths on Dec. 29. Achilles of Troy had run well in his first two starts, but bled and had a little traffic trouble in his third start, when he finished fourth.

"I knew he was a big-time horse from the time he was in the 2-year-old sales in Ocala,'' said Paragallo, who purchased the horse as a yearling for $120,000 and withdrew him from the OBS sales in March on the advice of an exercise rider.

Thursday, Achilles of Troy worked five furlongs in 1:01.45 under regular rider Alan Garcia. Aqueduct clockers timed Achilles of Troy in fractions of 24.80 seconds, 37.20, and 49.40. He was timed galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.20.

"He did it nice,'' said Paragallo, whose horse is trained by Jennifer Pedersen. "[Garcia] never asked him. He broke slow and picked it up late. He's been doing tremendous. He's training as well as a horse can train.''

Paragallo said that following the Whirlaway he would consider shipping Achilles of Troy to either south Florida or Oaklawn. In Florida, Gulfstream holds the Fountain of Youth on March 4 and the Florida Derby on April 1. Oaklawn runs the Rebel on March 18 and the $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 15.

Busanda likely to re-draw same cast

The $65,000 Busanda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies will be run this Sunday after last Sunday's card was scrapped because of bad weather. According to Andrew Byrnes, the New York Racing Association's stakes coordinator, the same six horses entered for last week are expected back this weekend.

That sextet includes Maryland shipper Sea Pines, who was second in the Toddler Stakes last out, and maiden winners Spartan Valor, Daytime Promise, Mississippi Madam, and Jet Set Broad. Last Romance, 2 for 2 since being claimed by Richard Dutrow Jr., is also expected to run.

Sunday's card will also include the rescheduled $60,000 Summer Colony stakes for older fillies and mares that have never won a graded stakes.

Fragoso taken to local hospital

Jockey Pablo Fragoso was taken to Jamaica Hospital complaining of lower back pain after being thrown from his mount about 20 yards before the wire in Thursday's seventh race.

Fragoso was aboard Gonna Be Love, the 9-5 favorite, when that horse appeared to take a bad step, hurling Fragoso to the ground. Gonna Be Love was going to finish third in the race.

Fragoso did not appear to be hit by a trailing horse. He was placed in a neck brace and removed from the track on a stretcher.

Fragoso is in a tie for eighth place in the jockey standings with 17 wins.