Vincento back quickly for Gander

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Vincento had six weeks between his first start and his second start and seven weeks between his second start and his third. On Saturday, Vincento will make his second start in one week when he runs in the $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.

The Gander is the featured event on a 10-race card that begins at 12:20 p.m. Eastern. The Gander, which goes as race 3, was going to share the spotlight with the $100,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela Stakes, but that six-furlong race for 3-year-olds failed to fill.

The Gander drew only six, and Vincento was a bit of a surprise entrant, coming off a 3 1/2-length win in a first-level allowance race last Sunday. In that race, Vincento wore blinkers for the first time. He sat in midpack and took over in upper stretch to win going away. He ran a mile in 1:39.03 and was assigned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

“I thought he ran pretty good,” said Rudy Rodriguez, who trains Vincento for owner and breeder Vincent Scuderi. “He’s learning from every race. I told Vinnie that the more races we get into him, the better he’s going to get.”

Vincento, by Include, is a half-brother to two-time Grade 1 Carter Handicap winner Dads Caps and to the Grade 2-winning filly Paulassilverlining. Vincento debuted going a one-turn mile Oct. 31 at Belmont Park, rallying from last to win by three lengths. Sent off at 3-5 in a first-level allowance Dec. 11, he finished third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Taoiseach, who is in the Gander field.

Rodriguez decided to put blinkers on Vincento after that race.

“He didn’t fire, and I don’t know why,” Rodriguez said. “He was very green. I thought with blinkers he would pay more attention. Even the other day he didn’t want to switch leads until very, very late. Hopefully, he’s learning and putting it all together.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Vincento last Sunday, but he is at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. John Bisono, who is 6 for 14 for Rodriguez at the inner-track meet, has the call.

Three of the six Gander entrants are trained by Todd Pletcher. Sudden Surprise, a three-time stakes-winning sprinter, will attempt two turns for the first time. Pletcher also will send Inside Straight and Cards of Stone. Inside Straight won an allowance race by 3 1/4 lengths on Jan. 10, defeating Cards of Stone. After that race, a majority interest in Cards of Stone was purchased by new owners, and the horse was turned over to Pletcher.

Governor Malibu, a maiden winner over Aqueduct’s main track last November, ships up from Florida for the Gander.