**To see video of
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Contact: Jenny Kellner
(718) 659-2351
Ashley Herriman
(718) 659-2218
AQUEDUCT RACETRACK NOTES
- Awesome Act's connections pleased with his
- Runners-up Yawanna Twist and Nacho Friend also could return in Wood
- Wood hopeful Buddy's Saint to breeze Saturday in Florida
- Other Saturday stakes winners also reported to be well on Sunday morning
- No plans yet for Eightyfiveinafifty
"He'll be back cantering at least by Wednesday, possibly Tuesday," said Wayne Tanner, assistant to trainer Jeremy Noseda, who returned to
The son of 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again was impressive in his first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in November, covering the 1 1/16th miles in 1:43.85. The victory was his second in seven starts, five of which were on grass, with one third-place finish over an artificial surface at Kempton.
"He's a real professional," said Tanner, who with George Windsor will oversee the colt's preparations for the 1 1/8th mile Wood,
Awesome Act, whose original flight from
"He basically walked up to the race," said Tanner. "The two days in quarantine really didn't bother him at all."
To see video of Awesome Act in his stall the morning after the
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Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., said Sunday morning he was very happy with the
The
"We're pleased with him," said Dutrow by telephone from
As well, trainer Kelly Breen said the Wood was also under consideration for third-place finisher Nacho Friend, who was 1¾ lengths behind Yawanna Twist.
"We'll take it one day at a time with him," said Breen of Nacho Friend, who was making his first start since finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Sanford at Saratoga Race Course last July. "The Wood is a possibility for him."
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Buddy's Saint, who had a rough trip as the favorite in the Fountain of Youth on February 20, will breeze five furlongs next Saturday at
"He rebounded nicely," said Levine of Buddy's Saint, who was making his 3-year-old debut in the Fountain of Youth. "He'll breeze Saturday, probably breeze twice more after that, and return to
Shut off going into the first turn and bounced around after encountering traffic problems, Buddy's Saint finished ninth behind Eskendereya in the Fountain of Youth, his first start since an eye-catching 4¾ -length victory in the Grade 2 Remsen in November.
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Wall Street Wonder, the unyielding victor in an exciting renewal of the Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes, came out of his hard-fought stretch battle with Custom for Carlos in good order, assistant trainer Tonja Terranova said Sunday.
"He looks great," Terranova said. "He's doing very well this morning and the plan is to point toward the Carter."
Wall Street Wonder, a 4-year-old
Likewise, Fred "Cappy" Capossela winner Castaneda also appeared to emerge from his front-running triumph in good shape.
"He came back good, beautiful," said trainer Gary Contessa. "Everything looks well. We're a little up in the air as to his next start. We ran him back kind of close, but the
Like
The Grade 1, $250,000 Carter Handicap and the Grade 3, $200,000
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Castaneda is not the only promising 3-year-old Contessa has in the barn and his early-season Triple Crown hopeful Eightyfiveinafifty is working toward a return to the races following a troubled bid in the Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct on February 6, in which he went wide around the first turn and ran through the rail before returning to the barn area.
Eightyfiveinafifty breezed five furlongs in 1:00.03 over the inner track on Thursday morning, his first timed workout since the Whirlaway. Harold Lerner's colt turned in the fastest of eleven moves at the distance that day.
"He worked great," Contessa said. "I really don't have plans for him. We're nominated to everything – the Wood, the Derby Trial, everything – but I want to work him twice more before I make a decision. That's his norm though – he goes in a minute and he does it so easy."
Eightyfiveinafifty owns the second-fastest Beyer Speed Figure among 3-year-olds, a 105 set when the colt broke his maiden over the inner track on January 9. That was bested on February 20 when Eskendereya posted a 106 winning the Fountain of Youth at
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When Wollaston Bay returned to the Aqueduct winner's circle several races after Saturday's Fred "Cappy" Capossela Stakes, it marked his first victory since taking the "Cappy" back in 2007.
"It's kind of ironic he won the Fred Capossela three years ago, and then he comes back three years later and wins on the same day the Cappy is run," said trainer Gary Sciacca of the now 6-year-old son of Sea of Secrets.
The Fred Capossela was the lone victory as a 3-year-old for
"He'd come back, get hurt, come back, get hurt again; it's been one thing after another with him," said Sciacca, who trains
Overall,
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