Wicked Trick likely for Stymie after his Thursday allowance race was canceled

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Wicked Trick’s hopes of extending his winning streak to seven in an allowance race are gone with the wind, so it looks like he will step into stakes company in next Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct.

Wicked Trick was entered in a third-level allowance race for Thursday, but that card was canceled due to high winds. Though the race was put up as an extra for Sunday’s program, it did not draw enough entries to be carded.

Trainer Linda Rice has Wicked Trick nominated to both the Stymie, at one mile, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool at six furlongs. She believes Wicked Trick’s best distance is seven furlongs and wants to evaluate the competition for each race, but said Friday she is leaning toward the Stymie.

“He just won impressively at a mile,” Rice said.

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On dirt, Wicked Trick is 4 for 4 at six furlongs and 2 for 2 at a mile. On Jan. 20, Wicked Trick won a one-mile starter allowance by 9 1/4 lengths, earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure. That was his sixth straight victory and fourth in a row since Rice claimed him for $16,000 last August at Saratoga.

Rice had Wicked Trick entered in the Grade 3 General George at Laurel Park on Feb. 15. But the horse showed signs of colic after his van ride from New York to Maryland and was scratched. Rice said he missed only a day of training.

Another reason Rice may be favoring the Stymie over the Tom Fool for Wicked Trick is that Nicodemus, who was also nominated to the Stymie, will need some time off due to a physical issue, Rice said.

Nicodemus won the Grade 3 Westchester last May at Belmont and was coming off a nose loss to Mind Control in the Grade 3 Toboggan last month at Aqueduct.

Others under consideration for the Stymie are American Anthem, Backsideofthemoon, Diamond King, and possibly Joevia.

Trainer Gregg Sacco was going to decide whether to run Joevia in the Stymie following a workout Saturday morning at Belmont Park.

Joevia is coming off a last-place finish in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 17.