Wood Memorial undercard: Cox brings 2 to Ky. Oaks prep

Trainer Brad Cox will send out a pair of talented contenders in Gin Gin and Barbratina in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle at Aqueduct.

The nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top five finishers.

Calumet Farm’s Kentucky homebred Gin Gin already has banked 41 points, earning 35 at Aqueduct for her one-length score over muddy and sealed footing in the nine-furlong Busanda in January, which preceded her third-place effort last out in the one-turn mile Busher Invitational on March 2.

Gin Gin also was runner-up in the 1 1/16-mile Rags to Riches in October at Churchill Downs, and fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod (G2) at the Louisville oval in November.

Barbratina will make her New York debut from a runner-up effort in the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy on March 1 over the Turfway Park synthetic.

The Catholic Boy bay won her debut with Humphries as conditioner sprinting seven furlongs on Aug. 11 at Ellis Park before a private sale. She returned in October with Cox as trainer and closed to finish second in a 6 1/2-furlong optional-claimer at Churchill Downs. Barbratina has made her last two outings with runner-up efforts traveling one mile over the Turfway synthetic, including a rallying defeat as the favorite in a January optional-claimer.

Life Talk will add blinkers as she returns to the site of her romping 3 3/4-length score in the Demoiselle (G2) traveling nine furlongs over muddy and sealed going on Dec. 2.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who won this event previously with My Miss Sophia in 2014 and Always Shopping in 2019, Life Talk arrives from an uncharacteristic last-of-six finish as the favorite in her seasonal debut in the one-mile-40-yard Suncoast on Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs.

“It was disappointing no matter how you slice it,” Pletcher said of the Suncoast effort. “We're going to put some blinkers on her. Her last couple of breezes have been with blinkers and seem to have her a little more dialed in as well.

“She ran a good race in the Demoiselle and has a win over the track at the distance, so I felt like it made sense to take her back there,” Pletcher added. “Hopefully, she can recover with a good effort and see her run to her capabilities.”

The Gun Runner bay, a $335,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase, graduated at second asking in August at Saratoga and followed with a pair of Grade 1 defeats to eventual champion 2-year-old filly Just F Y I when third in the Frizette in October at Belmont at Aqueduct and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November at Santa Anita Park.

Carter: Super Chow goes for 3rd straight graded win

Super Chow will vie for his third consecutive graded stakes victory in Saturday’s 126th running of the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses.

Trained by Jorge Delgado, the 4-year-old Lord Nelson colt enters from a gate-to-wire score in the six-furlong Tom Fool Handicap (G3) on March 2 at Aqueduct. Super Chow emerged a 1 1/4-length victor over Manny Wah, whom he beat by 4 1/4 lengths in similar front-running fashion in the local seven-furlong Toboggan (G3) in February.

Delgado said Super Chow, who caught off. tracks in the Tom Fool and Toboggan, could appreciate a faster surface on Saturday.

“He’s naturally fast. He has natural speed from the gate, and I believe a fast track would help him,” said Delgado. “If he can catch a fast track, I believe he would enjoy it more.”

Jockey Maddy Olver, who earned her first graded win in the Toboggan and doubled her tally in the Tom Fool, is also the regular work rider for Super Chow. She was aboard Super Chow for a half-mile breeze in 50.84 seconds Saturday over the Belmont dirt training track.

“I ask her all types of questions, and she always has the right answer. Thankfully for me, it is always something better,” said Delgado. “He’s in really good shape, he’s a more mature horse, he seems to have grown a little bit and gotten more muscular.”

Super Chow was a four-time stakes winner prior to making the grade, capturing the Bowman Mill at Keeneland and Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs in 2022 along with last year’s Limehouse and Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park.

Post Time improved his already near-perfect record in his first graded stakes attempt, coming from four lengths back to win the seven-furlong General George (G3) by three lengths on Feb. 17 at Laurel Park.

Trained by Brittany Russell, the Maryland-bred Post Time is 7-for-8 lifetime with a field-high 104 Beyer Speed Figure earned when closing to win by 6 1/2 lengths in the restricted one-mile Jennings at Laurel prior to his General George conquest.

“He doesn’t like to be rushed a whole lot, but going seven furlongs, you can’t let him get too far back,” said Russell, who saddled last year’s then-Grade 1 Carter winner Doppelganger. “Post Time has been very effective going seven-eighths. This makes sense, he is doing good and it is not a tough ship.”

The 4-year-old Frosted gray has raced away from Laurel twice, finishing third in the seven-furlong Perryville in October at Keeneland after a victory sprinting six furlongs in an open optional-claimer against elders in September at Pimlico Race Course.

“It’ll be interesting to see what he does on the road, going seven-eighths against better horses, especially now when he is rounded back into form,” said Russell.

Distaff: Hot Fudge is riding a 5-race win streak

Multiple stakes-winner Hot Fudge rides a five-race win streak into her second graded-stakes try in Saturday’s 70th running of the Grade 3, $175,000 Distaff, a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares.

Trainer Linda Rice, who captured last year’s Distaff with Mommasgottarun in addition to past success with Holiday Disguise in 2018 and La Verdad i 2014 and 2015, will send out two talented Kentucky-bred mares in Hot Fudge and Ain’t Broke.

Hot Fudge rallied from five lengths off the pace to get her nose down in the final jumps of the six-furlong Correction last out on March 9 at Aqueduct. The 5-year-old Liam’s Map dark bay entered the Correction off a stalking score in the seven-furlong Interborough on Jan. 27.

“Seven-eighths might be better for her than six,” said Rice, who led all trainers with 23 wins at the recently concluded Aqueduct winter meet. “She doesn’t have to rush as much and she’s got tactical speed. I think she’ll be closer this time.”

Hot Fudge, who also won the six-furlong Garland of Roses and a one-mile optional claimer at Aqueduct in December, is 7-for-9 since returning from an over one-year respite last January. Prior to the layoff, she placed in the 2021 Stewart Manor one start after finishing seventh in that year’s Frizette (G1) at Belmont Park.

Ronald Stewart’s Ain’t Broke also has been in good form for Rice, winning three local optional-claimers since being haltered for $75,000 out of a win going 1 1/16-miles on Sept. 21 at Churchill Downs.

The 5-year-old Dialed In dark bay enters off a five-length victory in an optional-claimer versus older fillies and mares traveling a one-turn mile here on Feb. 25.

“I think she really likes the one-turn mile, seven-eighths. She has improved since I shortened her up to one turn as a closing sprinter,” said Rice.

Her last effort matched a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure, improving upon a 76 earned the race prior when third in the Interborough.