Witty considered for Winkfield, Spectacular Bid
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With Laurel Park and the New York Racing Association running essentially the same stakes this coming weekend, there figures to be a lot of hemming and hawing among horsemen as to where to run.
Case in point is Witty, winner of the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at Parx in December. He is one of eight 3-year-olds nominated to both Saturday’s $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes at Laurel and Sunday’s $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct. Both races are at seven furlongs.
Trainer McLane Hendricks said he is likely to enter Witty in both races and, with the races on different days, he’ll have a chance to evaluate the fields and potential weather issues before deciding where to run.
:: For the first time ever, our premium past performances are free! Get free Formulator now!
“Probably going to enter both spots and see what the weather does going into the weekend,” Hendricks said Sunday.
Hendricks said he would prefer to run in New York, though his first glance at the speed figures of the potential runners in each spot suggests the Winkfield could be coming up the tougher race.
“Either spot will be a step up in class because he’s going against open company,” Hendricks said. “The way he did it last time I’m encouraged to go against open company. If there’s a race that had a lot of speed in it, that will benefit him. He likes to settle in off the pace and come from off it. There looks to be plenty of speed in both places.”
Other horses nominated to both the Winkfield and Spectacular Bid are Beast or Famine, Coastal Mission, H P Moon, Joe, Last Romance, Life Is Great, and Uncaptured Spirit. Of those, the Aqueduct racing office is expecting Beast or Famine and Life Is Great. Dance Code, Hagler, and Morello are also mentioned as likely starters in the Winkfield.
Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan at Aqueduct goes up against Saturday’s $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes at Laurel. Both races are for older sprinters with the Toboggan at seven furlongs and the Fire Plug at six.
Happy Medium, winner of three straight impressively, is scheduled to make his stakes debut in the Toboggan, which is likely to keep field size down. Although Grade 3 Bold Ruler winner Wondrwherecraigis has the Fire Plug on his schedule, making that no easy spot.
Hopeful Treasure, winner of the Fall Highweight at Aqueduct, is possible for the Toboggan or the Fire Plug, according to trainer Michael Catalano.