After a twisted and bent right shoe compromised her chances in her last effort, Susan Shipp and Cindy Polk's Coquettish will look to rebound when she faces nine rivals in the $100,000 Go For Wand Stakes at Delaware Park on Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-old fillies is the first local prep on the road to the $500,000 Delaware Oaks (gr. III) to be run on July 19. After posting a record of three wins from four outings last year, Coquettish has yet to reach the winner's circle in two outings this year. In her last start, the 1 1/16-mile $75,000 Caesar's Wish on an off track at Pimlico on April 26, the daughter of Not For Love finished last of four beaten by nearly 14 lengths. After the race, it was found she had twisted and bent one of her right shoes. In her 2003 debut, the Maryland-bred trained by H. Graham Motion ran third, five lengths behind, in the seven-furlong $60,000 Jameela Stakes at Laurel on February 1. On Dec.31, she won the 1 1/8-mile Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship at Laurel. Her career record is three wins and a third from six starts with earnings of $109,620. Motion is also going to enter Emotional Storm. It will be the first stakes test for the daughter of Emotional Storm. In her latest, the Pennsylvania-bred ran second, beaten 3 lengths in a 1 1/6-mile allowance against older horses at Delaware Park on May 6. Her career record is two wins and two seconds from six starts with earnings of $48,540. Motion is entering Emotional Storm as an insurance policy against rainy weather, but even if the track is fast, he could run both. "I was impressed with Emotional Storm's last race," said Motion. "Also, if it came up sloppy I would be inclined not to run Coquettish and I think Emotional Storm quite likes that kind of track. (Coquettish's) last race was over a muddy track and even though she lost her shoe I am still questioning if she can handle that type of track. I once breezed her on a wet track at Delaware and I thought she did not handle it well.
"Coquettish has been working super since the Caesar's Wish. Last week, Ramon (Dominguez) worked her five-eighths in a minute which is one of the better works I have had at Delaware. I thought it was a very good work." The favorite will likely be City Sister, who ran third by 3 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong Nassau County Breeders' Cup (gr. II) at Belmont on May 10. Previously, the daughter of Carson City won a seven-furlong allowance by seven lengths at Aqueduct on April 19. The Kentucky-bred trained by Mark Hennig sports a career record of two wins and a third from four starts with earnings of $69,400. The likely second choice will be Sarah Farish's Boxer Girl, who ran third beaten 6 1/4-lengths in the seven-furlong Cicada (gr. III) at Aqueduct in her last race on March 22. Previously, daughter of Two Punch defeated Coquettish when she won the Jameela by 4 3/4 lengths. The Maryland-bred trained by Mike Zwiesler has three wins, a second, and a third from six starts with earnings of $87,123. $100,000 Go For Wand Stakes, 3-year-old filles, 1 1/16 mile
PP. Horse, Jockey, Wgt., ML Odds
1. Coquettish, TBA, 117, 5-1
2. Hennie's Song, TBA, 117, 8-1
3. Virgin Voyage, TBA, 122, 6-1
4. Austin's Mom, Larry Melancon, 117, 10-1
5. Five Star Hero, TBA, 117, 10-1
6. City Sister, Aaron Gryder, 115, 7/2
7. Rubywood, Jose Caraballo, 117, 8-1
8. Emotional Storm, TBA, 117, 12-1
9. Blushing Valleys, Anthony Black, 117, 15-1
10. Boxer Girl, Oliver Castillo, 115, 4-1
