Just Read It Looks For Second Stakes Win Saturday In Garland Of Roses

Just Read It, trained and co-owned by Ray Handal with Ken Russell and Brown Road Racing, will look to secure her second stakes win at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., in Saturday's $100,000 Garland of Roses, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

A second-out maiden winner at the Big A in January, the sophomore daughter of Constitution captured the six-furlong Cicada here on March 20. She returned from a nearly eight-month layoff on November 3 to finish a closing third in a six-furlong optional-claiming sprint at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

“It was a good effort,” Handal said. “She's matured from what I've seen in the morning. She's gotten bigger and she's mentally more put together. I expect her to run an improved race. We know she likes Aqueduct, so that always helps.”

Out of the Broken Vow mare Mybrokenhome, the Kentucky-bred was purchased for $70,000 at the OBS July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Fromanothamutha, owned by Handal in partnership with Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor, and Peter Rinato, faded to seventh after setting the pace in Saturday's nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen won by Mo Donegal at the Big A.

The Unified juvenile, a $120,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, entered the Remsen from a prominent second to Mo Donegal in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on October 21 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Handal said Fromanothamutha earned his way into the Remsen.

“He looked like he was doing it pretty comfortably, I'd just chalk it up to him not liking the distance,” Handal said. “He was a maiden running in a Grade 2 but he was beaten a length to Mo Donegal going into it and Mo Donegal won the race, so I feel justified taking the shot in there.”

Handal said Fromanothamutha will look to clear the maiden condition before possibly taking a shot at the $300,000 G3 Gotham, a one-turn mile on March 5 at the Big A.

“He's a lovely colt and I think we'll just take him back to one-turn races,” Handal said. “I think I'll give him a two-week break and freshen him up and try and knock the maiden out and then look at something down the line like the Gotham.”

Merrylegs Farm's Thinking It Over, a 2-year-old daughter of Overanalyze bred in the Empire State by Merrylegs Farm North, garnered a 62 Beyer for a debut maiden score sprinting six furlongs in an off-the-turf state-bred maiden sprint on November 12 at Aqueduct.

“She was MTO that day and I thought it would take a really good New York-bred to beat her first time out,” Handal said. “When we got in off that spot, I thought she was going to be double tough.”

Handal said he would like to eventually target a state-bred stakes with Thinking It Over with the first opportunity being the Franklin Square, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies on January 15.

“We'll look towards the New York-bred stakes program through the winter with her, but I'd like to get her in a '1X' first,” Handal said.

Ken Russell and Richard Newman Racing's Foolish Ghost, a 6-year-old New York-bred son of Mineshaft, has posted a record of 37-9-7-5 for purse earnings of $462,122.

Handal said he's considering a number of options for the speedy gelding, who captured the 6 1/2-furlong John Morrissey in July at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“We'll look towards an allowance race and get some confidence. He loves this track,” said Handal.

Foolish Ghost, who finished fourth last out in the Hudson on October 30 at Belmont, sports a record of 10-1-4-1 at the Big A.

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Russell Brings Wondrwherecraigis To Saratoga In Search Of First Stakes Win

Four-time winner Wondrwherecraigis will attempt to secure his first career stakes score in Friday's eighth running of the $120,000 Tale of the Cat at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Brittany Russell, Wondrwherecraigis enters the six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded race in 2021 from a 5 3/4-length optional claiming score on July 18 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The 4-year-old dark bay or brown son of Munnings, who garnered a 102 Beyer Speed Figure in his most recent effort, returns to stakes company on the NYRA circuit after being disqualified from second to third in the Gold Fever in July 2020 at Belmont Park ahead of finishing fourth behind three next-out winners in the Grade 2 Amsterdam last August at Saratoga.

Wondrwherecraigis is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.

“It was a big race. He's doing really well,” said Russell. “We figured we would take a look. It looks like the race will set up for him, so we're shipping him up and giving him a chance.”

Jockey Sheldon Russell will ride from post 5.

Trainer Ray Handal will saddle last-out stakes winner Foolish Ghost, who defeated his New York-bred counterparts in the John Morrissey on July 29. The son of Mineshaft was claimed by Handal and owner Ken Russell and Richard Newman Racing last August and has since won four times for his current trainer.

“He's doing well,” Handal said. “There aren't too many sprints for him in the northeast area. On his best day, he can run with some of the good ones, so we'll see.”

Jockey Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 6.

Daniel Alonso's Wind of Change arrives at the Tale of the Cat off a sharp win in the Mr. Prospector on May 29 at Monmouth Park for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The Brazilian-bred Forestry bay seeks his sixth stakes victory, which include four triumphs at such level in his native land.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride from post 4.

My Boy Tate will seek a sixth stakes victory for Little Red Feather Racing and trainer, breeder, and co-owner Michelle Nevin. The 7-year-old son of Boys At Tosconova was second in the 2018 and 2020 Tale of the Cat.

Breaking from post 1, My Boy Tate will be ridden by Manny Franco.

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Multiple stakes-winner Bon Raison [post 3, Jorge Vargas, Jr.] seeks a non-consecutive win in the Tale of the Cat, previously scoring in 2019. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Bon Raison brags the highest bankroll in the field with $685,874.

Completing the field is David Bernsen's Shashashakemeup [post 2, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], a four-time winner for trainer Peter Walder.

The Tale of the Cat is carded as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race program at Saratoga Race Course. First post is 1:05 p.m. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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