Willet, Princess Violet lead contentious field in Go for Wand
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – New York-breds have enjoyed great success in open-company stakes in 2014, a trend that could continue Friday, when Princess Violet and Willet head a highly contentious field in the Grade 3, $300,000 Go for Wand Handicap at Aqueduct.
Twelve fillies and mares were entered in the Go for Wand, but Snowbell is expected to scratch and run in Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Comely Stakes, restricted to 3-year-old fillies. Princess Violet also was cross-entered in the Comely, run at 1 1/8 miles around two turns, but trainer Mike Hushion said Wednesday he is leaning strongly toward running her in the Go for Wand, which is at a mile around one turn.
Princess Violet never has raced around two turns or farther than 1 1/16 miles, which is part of the reason Hushion is leaning toward the Go for Wand.
“For this kind of money, I know it’s something she can handle, as opposed to trying a mile and an eighth the following day,” Hushion said.
Willet, meanwhile, is running in the Go for Wand for the third consecutive year. She was beaten a head in this race in 2012 and finished fourth last year.
Endless Chatter, third in the Grade 1 Beldame, was cross entered in Thursday’s River City Stakes but will run here instead.
Key contenders
Princess Violet (Last 3 Beyers: 93-90-80)
* She has finished first or second in six of seven starts, including a runner-up finish behind likely champion Untapable in the Grade 1 Mother Goose in June.
* She comes off a dominant 5 1/2-length victory Oct. 18 in the Empire Distaff Handicap, her second straight open-length score.
* Though she rated in both those races, Hushion expects her to be “forwardly placed, and she might be on the lead” Saturday under Jose Ortiz.
Willet (Last 3 Beyers: 90-91-86)
* She has finished in the money in 18 of 20 starts, including a third in the Grade 1 Ballerina and a third in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom. Last out, she ran second to La Verdad in the Iroquois Stakes.
* Part-owner and trainer Jimmy Iselin believes Willet is coming into the race in terrific shape.
“She’s doing better than all right,” Iselin said. “I’m really thrilled with her. She always gives her best.”
Sweet Whiskey (Last 3 Beyers: 90-81-90)
* Since winning the Grade 3 Old Hat at Gulfstream in January, she has lost six straight, including a well-beaten second behind Taris in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland last out.
* She finished second to Sweet Reason in the Grade 1 Acorn at a mile in June.
“I thought she ran huge that day, got right there, made the lead inside the eighth pole, and couldn’t hold off Sweet Reason,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It was a big effort, super race from her. I thought she ran sneaky well in the Test, got in tight a little bit late. Johnny [Velazquez] said she got a little intimidated. She was only beaten a length and a half.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Sweet Whiskey. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 22-8-2-3 with a $5.62 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route in graded stakes in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Classic Point (Last 3 Beyers: 93-79-80)
* With blinkers on for the first time in her 29th career start, Classic Point scored a 6 1/4-length, front-running victory Oct. 13 in the Punkin Pie Stakes at Belmont.
“If you can break good and even out her race like she did last time, she certainly looked like she could go the mile the way she ran last time,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Classic Point. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens is 50-16-10-3 with a $4.01 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route on dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Tapit's World. Trainer Michelle Nevin is 16-4-2-2 with a $4.94 ROI over the past year in dirt routes in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Street Girl. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 31-4-5-6 with a $0.58 ROI over the past five years in dirt route graded stakes on the NYRA circuit in the third start following a layoff.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 11 Zucchini Flower. Trainer Graham Motion is 18-1-3-2 with a $0.25 ROI over the past five years with all runners going turf to dirt on the NYRA circuit. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan