Executiveprivilege, a two-time grade I winner last year who has been sidelined for a good portion of 2013, continues on the comeback trail when she faces seven challengers in the $300,000 Go for Wand Handicap (gr. II) Nov. 29 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Bob Baffert for Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, the 3-year-old daughter of First Samurai will be making her third start of the season. After winning the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) and Chandelier Stakes (gr. I) and running a game second to Beholder in the divisional championship-deciding Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) as a 2-year-old, Executiveprivilege finished second in allowance company in her first start of 2013 at Del Mar in July. Baffert attributed the delay to some foot problems and in her second outing this year, the filly ran fourth in the L.A. Woman Stakes at Santa Anita Park Oct. 5.
With a career tally of five wins and two seconds in nine starts and earnings of $963,000, Executiveprivilege shares co-top weight of 117 pounds with Centring in the Go for Wand. She drew the outside 8 post and will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.
Centring, a Darley homebred trained by Tom Albertrani, has not won a stakes and is winless in seven starts this year. However, the daughter of A.P. Indy has placed in four graded stakes this year, with a second-place effort in the Turnback the Alarm Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 26, third behind Princess of Sylmar and champion Royal Delta in the Beldame Invitational Stakes (gr. I), third in Royal Delta's Personal Ensign Handicap (gr. I), and third in the Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I).
Centring will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh from the 3 post.
Fantasy of Flight, who will be making her second start since being transferred to Todd Pletcher, also has plenty of experience but no wins in stakes company. The 5-year-old daughter of Tiznow owned by Sanford Robbins was previously trained by Rick Dutrow Jr. and then Michelle Nevin.
This year, Fantasy of Flight has been second in the Vagrancy Handicap (gr. II), Hurricane Bertie (gr. III), and Bed o' Roses (gr. III), and third in the Turnback the Alarm. The mare has a record of 17-3-8-2, with earnings of $320,056.
Willet, a New York-bred daughter of Jump Start , will be seeking her third stakes of 2013 in the Go for Wand. The 5-year-old mare is trained by James Iselin, who owns her in partnership with Charlotte Assoulin and Eli Gindi. She won the Union Avenue at Saratoga Race Course and Princess Dixie at Belmont Park and finished second in Saratoga's Lotsa Talc and Belmont's Iroquois stakes.
$300,000 Go for Wand Handicap (gr. II, Race 9, approximate post 3:49 p.m. EST), 3YOs & Up, Fillies & Mares, 1 mile (Main Track)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. My Pal Chrisy (FL), J Castellano, 116, M D Wolfson
2. Centring (KY), R Maragh, 117, T Albertrani
3. Royal Lahaina (KY), J L Ortiz, 114, T A Pletcher
4. Street Girl (KY), J Alvarado, 115, E Kenneally
5. Willet (NY), A S Arroyo, 116, J H Iselin
6. Fantasy of Flight (KY), I Ortiz Jr., 115, T A Pletcher
7. Ol Donyo (KY), E Castro, 113, J P Terranova II
8. Executiveprivilege (KY), J Lezcano, 117, B Baffert
Executiveprivilege
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