Vino Rosso gunning for Grade 1 win in Carter
OZONE PARK N.Y. – Vino Rosso, who won last year’s Wood Memorial after finishing fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby, will seek to become a Grade 1 winner in Saturday’s $400,000 Carter Stakes.
Vino Rosso came off a 6 1/2-month layoff to win the $150,000 Stymie Stakes going a mile here on March 9. That victory made him 3 for 3 at Aqueduct, including a debut victory going seven furlongs in 2017.
“There are not many Grade 1 opportunities,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who won last year’s Carter with Army Mule. “Right now is the time to take a shot. He’s a well-bred, quality stud prospect, and a Grade 1, especially at seven-eighths, would even enhance his value further.”
World of Trouble, the winner of the off-the-turf Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on Jan. 26, likely will go favored. Others entered include Identity Politics, Skyler’s Scramjet, Sir Ballantine, Honor Up, Life in Shambles, and Timber Ghost.
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In other stakes Saturday:
◗ Positive Spirit, who rolled by 10 1/2 lengths in last year’s Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes here, returns to Aqueduct for the Grade 2, $300,000 Gazelle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles.
Positive Spirit is seeking to rebound from a last-place finish in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds.
She will face Busher Stakes winner Espresso Shot, Busanda Stakes winner Always Shopping, Off Topic, Proud Emma, and Afleet Destiny.
◗ Grade 1 Hopeful winner Mind Control will face only four rivals in the Grade 3, $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds. The field includes Hopeful runner-up Mucho, multiple graded stakes winner Call Paul, the Bob Baffert-trained speedster Much Better, and Mount Travers.
◗ Discreet Lover won two races last year. His most notable victory was a 45-1 upset in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont. But his other triumph was a 7-1 upset in the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct.
On Saturday, Discreet Lover makes his 6-year-old debut in the Excelsior. He will face seven rivals, including Hit It Once More, Holiday Bonus, Life’s a Parlay, Monongahela, Shivermetimbers, and Tour de Force.
