Go for Wand

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A short but terrific field of five will contest Sunday’s $250,000 Go for Wand
H. (G1) at Saratoga. Three-year-old filly champion and Breeders’ Cup Distaff
(G1) heroine ASHADO (Saint Ballado), a three-length winner of the Ogden Phipps
H. (G1) last out, is the likely favorite for the 1 1/8-mile contest, and SOCIETY SELECTION (Coronado’s
Quest) returns to the Spa where she captured two Grade 1s last year. A strong
case can be made for both, but we’re going with the speed, ANDUJAR (Quiet
American).

A maiden winner over the turf at Santa Anita in April, Andujar
made her main track debut later that same month and captured a 1 1/16-mile
allowance by 10 1/2 lengths. She was sold privately following that emphatic
victory and transferred to trainer Doug O’Neill. The four-year-old filly made
her next start in the Milady Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) in early June and destroyed
her rivals with a brilliant front-running performance, out-sprinting a couple of
early runners to a clear advantage and drawing off through the stretch to a
seven-length romp, earning a 104 BRIS Speed rating. If there was ever a prime
bounce candidate, Andujar fit the mold following the Milady and she regressed in
the Vanity H. (G1) last out, finishing third by only three parts of a length but
earning only a 95 Speed rating.

The classy filly bounces back on Sunday. Andujar wire to wire.

SOCIETY SELECTION (Coronado’s Quest) is three for three over the track and
has trained great according to Allen Jerkens, breezing five furlongs in a bullet
:59 4/5 (fastest of 26) on Thursday in preparation for the Go for Wand. The bay
captured the one-mile Shuvee H. (G2) two starts back and finished a solid second
to Ashado last time in the Phipps. Society Selection is remarkably versatile,
winning Grade 1s at seven furlongs and 1 1/4 miles last season, and she owns
some tactical speed. She’ll be stalking the pace here under Eibar Coa and is a
threat to run past all in the stretch.

Ashado won twice at the Spa as a juvenile, including the 2003 Spinaway S.
(G1), and finished third to Society Selection in last year’s Alabama S. (G1).
The Todd Pletcher charge is obviously a top win candidate, and she’s versatile
enough to lead or rate under John Velazquez. Ashado will likely be tracking
Andujar in second during the early stages and might prove impossible to
withstand, but the dark bay dropped her first two starts this year and earned
only a 101 Speed rating in her last. We think she’s vulnerable at short odds.

BENDING STRINGS (American Chance) owns good Speed and BRIS Pace numbers and likes
to finish in the money. She may not challenge for the win, but the four-year-old
filly could nab a top-three placing. DAYDREAMING (A.P. Indy) owns a stellar
3-2-0-1 mark at the Spa and has earned some terrific Late Pace figures,
including a 113 and 112. She probably won’t have enough pace up front to be effective, but Daydreaming could offer a decent late rally for a small share.