Bandini back in action Wednesday
Last year’s Blue Grass S. (G1) winner BANDINI (Fusaichi
Pegasus), sidelined since surgery after his 19th-place
finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1), returns to action in
Wednesday’s 9TH and featured race at Gulfstream Park. The
one-mile allowance/optional claiming event has drawn a
stakes-quality field of nine, including another Grade 1
winner in SILVER WAGON (Wagon Limit).
Bandini first burst into prominence last winter at
Gulfstream as a promising sophomore. After a decisive maiden
victory, the Todd Pletcher colt destroyed an allowance field
by nine lengths. In his stakes debut, he finished a
fast-closing second in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2), beaten
a diminishing three-quarters of a length by subsequent
Florida Derby (G1) winner High Fly. Then it was on to
Kentucky, where he romped to a six-length victory over High
Limit (Maria’s Mon) in the Blue Grass at Keeneland.
Following his disappointing effort in the Kentucky Derby, a
bone chip was discovered, which necessitated surgery and a
long layoff. Bandini has been working steadily at Palm
Meadows since mid-December and will be reunited with jockey
John Velazquez when breaking from post 3.
The Ralph Ziadie-trained Silver Wagon is exiting a third
in the Kenny Noe Jr. H. at Calder Race Course in December.
Although he has not tasted Grade 1 success since his
juvenile score in the Hopeful S. (G1), the five-year-old
gray retains plenty of ability, finishing a respectfully
distant second to Ghostzapper in last year’s Metropolitan
Mile (G1) and third in the Forego S. (G1). Drawn just to the
inside of Bandini in post 2, Silver Wagon gets the services
of Cornelio Velasquez.
There are several other stakes-class entrants that
deserve mention.
Last year’s Mineshaft H. (G3) winner, the lightly raced
WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold), recently returned from a
lengthy spell for conditioner Nick Zito and came in a solid
second in an optional claimer at this course and distance.
Rafael Bejarano will ride the five-year-old, who will jump
from post 5.
Another sparingly campaigned five-year-old, RECORD BUSTER
(Alphabet Soup), will race for the first time since August.
On a tear when capturing three straight at Belmont last
spring, the gelding set a wickedly fast pace in the Suburban
H. (G1), his stakes debut, before tiring badly to check in
last of eight. Javier Castellano takes the call for Brian
Lynch, who is Bobby Frankel’s deputy.
DARK CHEETAH (Storm Cat), coming off a photo-finish score
in a six-furlong allowance, represents the Richard Dutrow
Jr. barn. The four-year-old was stakes-placed in Ireland
last season when in the care of horseman Aidan O’Brien.
Edgar Prado will be in the saddle.