Remand, who got back
on the winning track last month, looks to continue his forward progress
Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack as he heads the field for the 56th
running of the $65,000 Stymie.
The 4-year-old son of Successful Appeal spent the first half of 2010
knocking heads with the likes of Eskendereya, Drosselmeyer, Fly Down, D’
Funnybone, Discreetly Mine and Eightyfiveinafifty and emerged with a trio of
third-place finishes in the Grade 3 Bay Shore, the Grade 2 Dwyer, and the Grade
2 Woody Stephens. Late in June, however, the colt became ill and he did not
return to action until November, when he finished sixth to Rule by Night in the
Groovy overnight stakes at the Big A.
“His first race back, the track was unbelievably fast that day,
and in retrospect it probably wasn’t a good spot for him,” said
John Terranova, who trains Remand for Sovereign Stable. “We let him
regroup after that, and his most recent race was more of what we were
expecting.”
In that one-mile optional claimer, Remand dueled with a pair of rivals
through the early going, pulling clear to a 3 ¾-length victory under Channing
Hill, who has the return call Saturday.
“We’re happy to have him back,” said Terranova.
“He always threatened to be a nice horse. He ran into all the top
3-year-olds last year and was right there with all of them. He looks to be
moving forward and this looks like the right spot for him.”
Listed at 7-5 on the morning line, Remand will carry 117 pounds and
drew post position 3 for the 1 1/8-mile race.
Co-high weight at 123 pounds in the Stymie is 8-year-old veteran Arson
Squad, a multiple graded stakes winner who was third as the beaten favorite in
his two most recent starts. The gelding missed by a length in the Evening
Attire on January 15 and was less than a half-length behind More Than a Reason
– who will also carry 123 pounds in the Stymie – in the Grade 3 Queens County
on December 11.
With regular rider Ramon Dominguez out of town, Junior Alvarado has the
call on Arson Squad, the second choice on the morning line at 9-5 from the
rail.
More Than a Reason, fifth in last year’s Stymie, will be making
his 65th career start in this year’s edition. Now 6, the son
of More Than Ready is 0-1-2 in five starts following his victory in the Queens County,
most recently finishing fifth in an optional claimer on February 18.
Eddie Castro rides More Than a Reason, 12-1 on the morning line, from
post position 2.
Rounding out the field are Masala, most recently third behind Seniors
Pride and More Than a Reason in an optional claimer on February 11, and
Goombada Guska, who opened 2011 with a fourth-place finish in the Evening
Attire and was second in his most recent start, the Bald Eagle overnight stakes
on January 29.
Both are 5-1 on the morning line.
The field for the $65,000 Stymie:
|
PP
|
Horse
|
Jockey
|
Wgt
|
Trainer
|
Odds
|
|
1
|
Arson
Squad (PA)
|
J Alvarado
|
123
|
R E Dutrow, Jr.
|
9-5
|
|
2
|
More
Than a Reason (KY)
|
E Castro
|
123
|
R Persaud
|
12-1
|
|
3
|
Remand
(KY)
|
C Hill
|
117
|
J P Terranova, II
|
7-5
|
|
4
|
Goombada
Guska (NJ)
|
J Valdivia, Jr.
|
121
|
S J Volk
|
5-1
|
|
5
|
Masala
(FL)
|
D Cohen
|
117
|
D Jacobson
|
5-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|