Mr. Fantasy Choice in Billy Redcoat

A graded stakes winner on the comeback trail, a son of Freud who closed out his 2009 campaign with a good-looking victory in the New York Stallion Series (NYSS), and a homebred gelding looking for his fourth straight win are all part of a wide-ranging field of 10 New York-breds assembled for Wednesday’s $60,000 Billy Redcoat Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.

A winner of his first two starts by a combined margin of 19 lengths, Mr. Fantasy got some serious Triple Crown hype last year after finishing third to I Want Revenge in the Grade 3 Gotham and then bouncing back with a sharp victory in the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct. The Withers, however, in which Mr. Fantasy earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 102, was his final start of the year as the son of E Dubai eventually was found to have an ankle chip, undergoing surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation before returning to training in January at Palm Meadows.

In his first start after the 11-month layoff, Mr. Fantasy finished third as the prohibitive favorite in a six-furlong optional claimer at Gulfstream Park on March 18 after setting early fractions of 21.74 and 45.04 under Ramon Dominguez, who flew down from New York for the mount.

“Ramon seemed to have made the trip to Florida for nothing, but hopefully he knows the horse now,” said trainer Mike Hushion, who will again give Dominguez a leg up in the seven-furlong Billy Redcoat, in which Mr. Fantasy is the 8-5 morning line favorite from Post Position 6.

“Obviously, the race in Florida was a disappointment,” added Hushion, who took over Mr. Fantasy’s training from Kiaran McLaughlin for West Point Thoroughbreds. “We know he likes the track, and we know he likes the middle distance.”

Uncle T Seven, who closed out his 3-year-old campaign with an eye-catching 4 ¾-length victory in the NYSS Thunder Rumble Division at the Big A last November, spent the winter in Florida and trainer John Kimmel is delighted with the way he has progressed from age 3 to 4.

“He’s really come back well,” said Kimmel from Florida. “It’s a tough race, but you have to start somewhere, he likes the track and the distance, and he needs to get a race under his belt. Plus, he’s a pretty nice horse.”

Uncle T Seven, 4-2-4 from 14 starts, will have new jockey Rajiv Maragh in the irons as he breaks from Post Position 7 at 8-1 on the morning line.

Groomedforvictory, one of two horses in the race saddled by Barclay Tagg, won three straight, all at a mile, at the conclusion of his 4-year-old campaign including a pair over this track in the Study Hard Stakes for state-breds on November 22 and a win in open company in an optional claimer on October 31. Owned and bred by Sure Thing Stables, the son of Victory Gallop drew Post Position 4 at 9-2 on the morning line and will be ridden by Channing Hill.

Tagg will also saddle Tall Poppi, who breaks from Post Position 8 at 15-1 with Cornelio Velasquez up.

As well, Dr. W brings a winning streak into the race, coming in off a front-running victory in a $100,000 claiming race at the Billy Redcoat distance on April 2 and another $100,000 claimer going six furlongs over the inner track on March 11. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old son of Cat Thief was third in his 2010 debut, beaten a neck going a mile after setting the pace.

“It’s a tough race,” said Asmussen’s assistant trainer, Toby Sheets. “There’s a lot of speed in it. But our horse has been training well, and we are hoping he runs a good race.”

David Cohen rides Dr. W, 5-1 on the morning line, from Post Position 2.

Seeking his first victory of 2010 is Mor Chances, no worse than third in nine starts since being claimed by Rick Dutrow. The 6-year-old son of American Chance won four straight for his new connections against fellow New York-breds beginning with the 2008 Thunder Rumble, finished third to Bribon in the Grade 3 Westchester last April and was third in both starts this year coming off an eight-month layoff.

Aboard Mor Chances, 6-1 from Post Position 3, is John Velazquez.

Completing the field are Love Abroad, Monte Carlo, Six Flings, and Good Card.

The field for the $60,000 Billy Redcoat: