Wonder Gal dives right into deep end
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In a perfect world, trainer Leah Gyarmati would give Wonder Gal a little confidence booster against allowance company before the prestigious Alabama Stakes here Aug. 22. But with the timing for that “not quite right,” Gyarmati instead will try to get Wonder Gal that elusive first Grade 1 win in Sunday’s Coaching Club American Oaks.
Wonder Gal is Grade 1-placed four times but winless in six starts since capturing her career debut last summer at Belmont Park. She tuned up for the Oaks by breezing an easy half-mile in 50.51 seconds here Wednesday.
“I wavered back and forth whether to go in the Oaks coming off a couple of tough races back to back, maybe try to give her a confidence boost in an allowance race instead, with our main goal being the Alabama,” said Gyarmati. “This morning was just a maintenance work. I took her out late to try to get it quiet because she can get a little rank, and I didn’t want her out there with a million horses, take off before she gets to the pole, and then go too fast or longer than I really wanted with the race on Sunday.”
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Wonder Gal will make her third start of the year in the CCA Oaks, having finished third, beaten a length by Curalina, in the Acorn and second behind Include Betty in the Mother Goose. She’ll have a new rider for the Oaks, with Irad Ortiz Jr. to replace the injured Rajiv Maragh, who rode her in the Mother Goose.
Also likely for the CCA Oaks are Include Betty, Chide, Conquest Eclipse, Danette, I’m a Chatterbox, and Keen Pauline.
◗ A field of 11 2-year-olds will vie in Saturday’s Grade 3 Sanford. That group is led by Cocked and Loaded and Paynes Prairie, first and second in the Tremont, and He’s Comin in Hot, the easy winner of the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs. The remainder of the field consists of Awesome Slew, John Q. Public, Magna Light, Percolator, Save the Drama, Sunny Ridge, Twirling Cinnamon, and Uncle Vinny.