Custom for Carlos and Wall Street Wonder, both looking for their third straight win, will go up against three other stakes-winning older males including group III victor Elusive Warningin the March 6 Toboggan Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct.
The $100,000 six-furlong dirt race for 3-year-olds and up is scheduled for a 2:24 p.m. EST post.
Judging from Custom for Carlos’ bullet work Feb. 27 at Palm Meadows, when he covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 and was the fastest of 14 horses at that distance, it appears he’s ready to fire in the Toboggan.
Custom for Carlos, who captured the Jan. 9 Mr. Prospector Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park in his seasonal debut, is one of two graded stakes winner in the Toboggan. Owned by Homewrecker Racing and Avalon Farm and trained by Eddie Kenneally, the 4-year-old son of More Than Ready closed his 2009 campaign with a victory in the Bet on Sunshine Handicap at Churchill Downs in November.
Bred in Kentucky by David Hager, Custom for Carlos has won or placed in eight of his 11 lifetime starts for earnings of $350,630. The bay colt, who also won the 2009 Jersey Shore Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park, will be making his first start at Aqueduct and will break from the inside post under jockey Julien Leparoux.
Trained by John Terranova for Stetson Stables, Wall Street Wonder has raced the majority of his starts on turf and synthetic surfaces. But in his most recent outings—a Dec. 12 allowance contest and the Jan. 12 Paumonok Stakes at Aqueduct—he quickly developed an affinity for dirt. Winning the allowance by two lengths, the 4-year-old son of City Place then romped to an impressive 8 1/2-length victory in the Paumonok in front running fashion.
Wall Street Wonder, who was bred in Florida by Richard Wilson and has a record of 3-1-4 from 12 starts, will be ridden by jockey Channing Hill in the Toboggan. The pair will break from post 4.
Rounding out the field are Driven by Success, who won last year’s Hudson Stakes at Belmont Park; Crimson Comic, victor of the MNR Slipton Fell Handicap; and Elusive Warning, who was impressive in capturing the 2008 Muhtathir Burj Nahaar (UAE-III) in Dubai.
$100,000 Toboggan Handicap (gr. III, race 4, 2:24 p.m.) 3-year-olds and up, Six Furlongs (Inner Dirt)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Trainer
1. Custom for Carlos, 123 J Leparoux, Eddie Kenneally
2. Elusive Warning, 117, R Migliore, Kiaran McLaughlin
3. Driven by Success, 117, R Dominguez, Todd Pletcher
4. Wall Street Wonder, 121, C Hill, John Terranova
5. Crimson Comic, 119, K Carmouche, Mark Shuman
