Funny Cide, Wando, Silver Wagon Work in Florida

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Sackatoga Stable's Funny Cide, in preparation for the Feb. 29 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) at Fair Grounds, breezed a bullet five furlongs Feb. 25 at Palm Meadows in South Florida.

Funny Cide, the Eclipse Award winning 3-year-old male of 2003, went in :59 3/5 seconds. Trainer Barclay Tagg said the gelding would travel by van, not plane, to Louisiana.

"It's pretty sure now that will be his next race," Tagg said.

Funny Cide won an allowance race at Gulfstream Park to start his 4-year-old season, then finished third in the Donn Handicap (gr. I) at Gulfstream behind Medaglia d'Oro.

Meanwhile, Gustav Schickendanz' Wando, the Canadian Triple Crown winner of 2003, also worked five furlongs at Palm Meadows Feb. 25 for trainer Mike Keogh. Wando, who went in 1:00 1/5, could return to the races in March in South Florida.

"He's coming along very nicely," Keogh said. "This was a much better work, and he really seemed to get into it. It's kind of funny two weeks in a row with (Funny Cide). We're stabled near each other, but we're not planning it."

In other news, Buckram Oak Farm's Silver Wagon, third in Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream, worked five furlongs in 1:02 3/5 at Calder Race Course Feb. 25 and is being pointed to the March 13 Florida Derby (gr. I). His trainer, Ralph Ziadie, is preparing to undergo surgery to have a kidney removed.

"The horse is in excellent health and he's on a good schedule," Ziadie said. "I think I'm in excellent health, too. The doctors say there's no spreading out of the kidney, and I should be out of the hospital after three or four days. I plan on getting back to saddle him in the Florida Derby."

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