Willet Back Quickly in Garland of Roses
Coming
off just 8 days rest, Willet will once again attempt to win her first
stakes race of 2014 in the $100,000 Garland of Roses for fillies &
mares 3-years-old and up on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
In
six starts this year, Willet's lone win came in a New York-bred
allowance race on July 30 at Saratoga Race Course, but she has faced
stiff competition all year, including five stakes appearances with four
in-the-money finishes. Most recently, the 6-year-old mare finished
seventh in the Grade 2, $300,000 Go For Wand on November 28 traveling
wide on the Aqueduct main track most of the way.
"She is doing
well and was doing well going into the Go For Wand," said James Iselin,
Willet's owner. "She's run well off short rest before, so that's not
really a concern for us. This is a big race and we'll decide on what we
do with her next year with how she runs in this spot."
Angel
Arroyo, who rode Willet to her last stakes victory in the $100,000
Touch of Love Stakes in 2013 at Aqueduct, has been giving the riding
assignment.
"We feel comfortable with Angel, knowing he has a rapport with the horse and has won with her before," said Iselin.
Willet is the 5-2 morning-line favorite and drew post position 6.
Barry
K. Schwartz's Bridgehampton, who began her 2014 campaign winning an
allowance race on March 23 at Aqueduct, returns to the Big A following
four consecutive stakes starts herself. Most recently, she placed sixth
in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap on September 20 at
Belmont Park.
Jose Ortiz will be aboard the Michael Hushion-trained filly from post position 1. She is 7-2 on the morning line.
The
Michael Aro-trained Winning Image ships in from Parx for owner Martin
Scafidi. The 7-year-old mare is the oldest entrant in the field but is
coming off a half-length win in her last start the Cornucopia Stakes on
October 11 at Parx with a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.
Anthony Black will be in the irons for the mare, who is 7-2 on the morning line from post position 4.
Rounding out the field are Jonata, Joya Real, Laguna Girl, Frivolity, Expression, and Sounds of the City.
Source: NYRA