Wando gets post 7 in Breeders'

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wandomania was in the air Wednesday when a field of eight was announced at the ceremonial draw for Saturday's $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Wando, dominant winner of both the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate here at Woodbine and the 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales at Fort Erie, will be stretching out to 1 1/2 miles and switching over to turf as he seeks to become the seventh winner of the Canadian Triple Crown, which was inaugurated in 1959.

Wando, who is Daily Racing Form's 4-5 favorite, would earn a $500,000 bonus for a sweep of the Canadian Triple, and his owner, Gustav Schickedanz, would pick up an extra $50,000 as the breeder of the colt.

Jockey Patrick Husbands will break Wando from post 7.

"I don't think the post really matters, going that far," said Wando's trainer, Mike Keogh. "But it would have been nice if we got the 4 - he got the 4 in the Plate and the Prince of Wales."

Strizzi, owned by Stronach Stable and trained by Malcolm Pierce, is the chief threat to Wando and has been pegged as DRF's 4-1 second choice.

Emile Ramsammy retains the mount on Strizzi, who is coming off back-to-back second-place finishes in the one-mile Charlie Barley and 1 1/8-mile Toronto Cup, both open turf races for 3-year-olds. He will begin from the post 1 in the Breeders'.

"It's perfect - it's the shortest distance to the wire," joked Pierce, while echoing Keogh's sentiments about the significance of post position at the Breeders' distance.

Sam-Son Farm will field a three-ply threat Saturday in Shoal Water, Parasail, and Colorful Judgement, all of whom are trained by Mark Frostad. The three will race as separate wagering interests.

Shoal Water, to be ridden by Todd Kabel and DRF's third choice at 9-2, was fourth behind Wando in the Plate and third in the Wales, but Frostad always has maintained the gelding is better on turf.

Parasail is undefeated in two starts, the last over one mile on turf, and should be a pace presence under regular rider Robert Landry.

Colorful Judgement is coming off a third-place allowance finish over 1 3/8 miles on grass, the farthest any of the Breeders' entrants has traveled. Slade Callaghan gets the call.

Arco's Gold will join Wando and Shoal Water as the only horses to compete in all three legs of the Triple, having finished eighth in the Queen's Plate and second in the Prince of Wales. Constant Montpellier retains the mount.

Rounding out the field are Tracy's Tonka Toy, who finished fourth in the Toronto Cup, and Ballerina's Halo, a maiden.