This is the final weekend at Aqueduct before the New York circuit takes a Christmas break.
The Big A action resumes Dec. 26. That leaves one stakes before the brief vacation: the $150,000 Go For Wand on Saturday.
The 1-mile test for older fillies and mares drew six, with Weigh the Risks the even-money morning line favorite.
At first glance, the 4-year-old chestnut looks fairly risk-free.
We all know “there is no such thing as a sure thing” at the racetrack. So, let’s chalk this one up as pretty close to a “sure thing.”
She has won four of her last five races since trainer Chad Brown made the switch from the turf to the main track.
Her speed figures are decisively better than her rivals, and the stat profile is equally impressive: 3-1-0 in four starts at the Big A and 2-1-0 in three Aqueduct efforts at the distance.
It’s hard to find the proverbial chink in the armor.
“She’s really come around since we’ve been running just on dirt,” Brown said. “We allowed her some time to develop. This seems to be her level: a solid listed stakes level horse, I think. The distance shouldn’t be an issue for her. I’m very pleased with how she’s coming into the race.”
The most telling comment from Brown is the recognition that this late-season stakes at chilly Aqueduct is the right spot for this filly.
Brown has already moved most of his top runners to Florida for the winter. Rather than pushing her into a more ambitious spot at Gulfstream Park, Brown is looking to skim this stakes cream off the top.
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Who poses the biggest threat to Weigh the Risk? Well, if Chaddie doesn’t get the money, it’s probably Toddie.
Scalable (4-1), owned by the irrepressible Mike Repole and trained by Pletcher, exits a rallying third-place finish behind Weigh the Risks in Aqueduct’s Pumpkin Pie Stakes.
That race was 7 furlongs, and the added distance here figures to aid her cause.
Scalable has the graded stakes class edge on Weigh the Risks, having already won the Monmouth Oaks (G3) and finished third in Aqueduct’s Comely Stakes (G3).
“The Pumpkin Pie, she was too far back,” Pletcher said. “She made a good late run. We are hoping the extra eighth of a mile helps her out. It seems like it should suit her well.”
Pletcher is a four-time winner of this stake.
Post time is 3:10 p.m. ET.
It looks like the top two have a lock on this. But then, you never know …
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
