By Karen M. Johnson
Law N Dora puts his undefeated record on the line in his stakes debut, the $75,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct Jan. 21.
The Winkfield, a 3-year-old stakes at six furlongs on the inner track, drew a field of seven. Law N Dora, perfect in three starts, is the likely favorite. Also entered are Accredit, All Expenses Paid, Go Go Shoot, Holidaze, Laysh Laysh Laysh, and Handsome Reward.
Law N Dora is by Silver Deputy, out of Lady Dora, a daughter of Lord At War. The breeding sparked the interest of trainer Alan Seewald, who called his owner, David Simon, when he saw Law N Dora entered in a $40,000 claiming race at The Meadowlands Oct. 9. Law N Dora, making his career debut for trainer Steve Asmussen, won the race by 6 1/2 lengths and was claimed by Simon.
“(Simon) is very big on breeding and was looking to buy a 2-year-old,” said the Philadelphia Park-based Seewald, who has trained for Simon since the mid 1980s. “We liked Silver Deputy, and I trained a horse from the family on the dam side. Steve Asmussen’s horses were running well at The Meadowlands, and we knew the horse was coming from a good outfit.”
Law N Dora immediately paid dividends to his new connections by winning his next two starts at Aqueduct. The colt won a starter allowance race by 2 1/2 lengths on the main track Nov. 16, and followed with a two-length win on the inner track Dec. 12. In his first two starts, Law N Dora led from start to finish. In his last race, he stalked the early leaders.
“In his last race, (Edgar Prado) said he had more left in the tank,” Seewald said. “In his first two races he was on the lead, but he doesn’t need to be, as he showed in his last race. He took dirt in his face that day and then found clearance to angle out. I believe he is ready to step up in a stakes.”
Ramon Dominguez rides Law N Dora from the outside post.
Accredit makes his stakes debut for Darley Stable after winning a maiden race in his second start at Aqueduct Nov. 22. Accredit, a son of E Dubai, is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, who won three races at Aqueduct Jan. 18.
McLaughlin admitted Accredit caught him a bit by surprise with his 1 1/4-length maiden win. The triumph followed a dismal career debut nine weeks earlier at Belmont Park, in which the colt trailed the field and finished last. Accredit won the six-furlong race while being hounded on the lead through sizzling fractions of :21 2/5 and :44 3/5 on his way to a final time of 1:10. His odds that day were 35-1.
“He was just really green in his first start and didn’t take to getting dirt in his face,” McLaughlin said. “He was all business and focused in his next start. He was training a lot better for his second race, but I was surprised how he ran.”
Rajiv Maragh rides Accredit from post 2.
All Expenses Paid finished second to a nice horse, Grand Minstrel, in the Dec. 12 Capote Stakes at Aqueduct. A wet track would improve the son of Trippi's chances.
$75,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes (Race 8, 3:49 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds, 6 Furlongs (Inner Track)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. All Expenses Paid (FL), 116, Channing Hill
2. Accredit (FL), 116, Rajiv Maragh
3. Laysh Laysh Laysh (KY), 116, Norberto Arroyo, Jr.
4. Holidaze (KY), 116, Stewart Elliott
5. Go Go Shoot (FL), 116, Alan Garcia
6. Handsome Reward (FL), 116, Michael J. Luzzi
7. Law N Dora (KY), 118, Ramon A. Dominguez
