Twelve Volt Man shipping in for Jazil Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is still a few months away from sending a string back to New York, but he will be represented in Saturday’s $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct with Twelve Volt Man.

The chance to run Twelve Volt Man again at 1 1/8 miles around two turns is what made the Jazil attractive to Joseph, who is atop the trainer standings at Gulfstream Park through the first six weeks of that meet. Twelve Volt Man got Joseph’s Gulfstream meet off to a good start when he won the Claiming Crown Jewel last month. It was his first start going two turns on dirt.

Joseph said he had a feeling Twelve Volt Man would be successful going a distance of ground around two turns but “until they do you never know for sure,” he said.

Joseph decided to ship Twelve Volt Man to New York because there was nothing readily available for him at Gulfstream aside from the $3 million Pegasus World Cup and that was coming up a bit too tough with Knicks Go and Life Is Good in the field.

“We figured we’d give him a shot in a better race, a race he might be able to jump up and win,” Joseph said.

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Edwin Gonzalez, who has ridden Twelve Volt Man to two of his four career victories, will come up from Florida to ride. Last fall, Gonzalez gave up a day at Gulfstream to ride Shifty She to victory in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont for Joseph.

Others expected for the Jazil included Empty Tomb, First Constitution, and Forewarned.

Last year, Joseph started off his New York stay by winning three races on one card at Aqueduct, including the Grade 1 Carter with Mischevious Alex and the Grade 3 Bay Shore with Drain the Clock.

Joseph said Drain the Clock, Collaborate, and Ny Traffic are being considered for the Carter, which will be run April 9.