Wonder Gal Tries to Break Through in Test

Since opening her career with a runaway victory against fellow New York-breds last summer, Treadway Racing Stable's Wonder Gal has made six starts, all in graded stakes. None of them have resulted in victory, but she has finished worse than third only once and been beaten a combined 5 ½ lengths in four Grade 1 stakes. 

The 3-year-old filly finds herself in tough again in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test, where she drew post six in the 10-horse field and is the co-fourth choice at 6-1 on the morning line. 

"She really does give you everything each time, and each time, I've put her in against some really nice horses," trainer Leah Gyarmati said. "I'm excited about her; I just need to get her races spaced properly. They're all nice fillies in there." 

Wonder Gal found herself in tight quarters but was able to run third in the Grade 2 Adirondack last summer at Saratoga in just her second start. She ended the year second in the Grade 1 Frizette and third by a length in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies to champion Take Charge Brandi, one of her Test foes.

Named the New York-bred champion 2-year-old filly of 2014, Wonder Gal opened 2015 by running fourth to Grade 1 winner Condo Commando in the Grade 2 Gazelle in April. In a span of 21 days in June, she was third by a length in the one-mile, Grade 1 Acorn and second in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont Park.

Gyarmati entered but scratched Wonder Gal from the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks July 26 at Saratoga. 

"I wasn't really sure I was going to make the Oaks, anyway. It was just the timing between the two races before that. They were kind of close together," she said. "I just wasn't thrilled with how she was doing and felt it was a matter of her needing a little bit more time. She's doing well, and the distance seems good since you're cutting back. She seems to be right at the point where seven-eighths is probably right up her alley. This race just happened to come up at the right moment in her training and how she's doing, and is making me want to put her in there."


Source: NYRA Communications