Wendell Fong Bids for More Success in Tom Fool

Gold Square's Wendell Fong will look to make the grade March 6 in the $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap (G3), a six-furlong sprint for older horses at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Tom Fool is part of a loaded Saturday card that includes the $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) and the $250,000 Busher Invitational Stakes, qualifying races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Wendell Fong provided trainer Natalia Lynch her first career win last out with a neck score Jan. 16 in the six-furlong Fire Plug Stakes at Laurel Park.

"He's pretty special," said Lynch, who went out on her own in 2020 and began training him last fall. "He has so much personality. It's his world, and we live in it at the barn. He really runs the show."

Winless in six starts last year, Wendell Fong, a 5-year-old son of Flat Out , made his seasonal debut a winning one in the Fire Plug. Due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions, Lynch had to send Wendell Fong to the care of trainer Brittany Russell, who Lynch previously worked for in Maryland.

Lynch said Wendell Fong's successful return to stakes company was very rewarding.

"When he first came to me in the fall, a lot of people wanted me to put him in for a tag, but I always felt we could get him back to where he deserved to be," said Lynch. "It's been a lot of believing in him and letting him tell us what he needed. To see him win that stakes race was really special. He showed so much heart. He ran back to how he used to run, and he knew he won. When he got home, he bounced off the trailer. He was really proud of himself."

Following a brief freshening, Wendell Fong worked an easy half-mile in :50.50 with Lynch up Feb. 26 on the Belmont dirt training track.

Lynch said she has worked on having the strong-minded Wendell Fong return to a settle-and-pounce racing style. The dark bay posted a good runner-up effort from off the pace on Dec. 3 under Trevor McCarthy at Laurel ahead of the last-to-first score with Sheldon Russell up in the Fire Plug.

Lynch said a good result on Saturday could set up a return to top-level company in the $300,000 Carter Handicap (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for older horses April 3 at Aqueduct.

McCarthy has the call on Wendell Fong from the outermost post 6.

Multiple graded stakes winner Share the Ride, trained by Antonio Arriaga for owner Silvino Ramirez, captured the Fall Highweight (G3) in November at Aqueduct and added a score in the Feb. 20 General George Stakes (G3) last out Feb. 20 at Laurel.

The 6-year-old Candy Ride  gelding enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2020, posting a record of 4-2-1 from nine starts.

Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman's Speed Pass, a 5-year-old son of Bodemeister  trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, will make his first start outside of California. He was a close third in a comeback race in an allowance optional claimer Jan. 30 at Santa Anita Park.

"He needed that race," Baffert said. "This is going to be a step up. There was a race here at Santa Anita going seven furlongs, but I think six furlongs is going to be his limit. We'll take a swing at it and see how he fits in. Those New York horses are pretty tough."

Pete's Play Call, Chateau, and Happy Farm round out the field. 

Entries: Tom Fool H. (G3)

Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, March 06, 2021, Race 7

• Grade III
• 6f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:02 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Pete's Play Call (MD)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	122	Rudy R. Rodriguez	5/2
2	2Share the Ride (KY)	Victor R. Carrasco	124	Antonio Arriaga	2/1
3	3Chateau (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	119	Rob Atras	6/1
4	4Happy Farm (FL)	Eric Cancel	119	Linda Rice	12/1
5	5Speed Pass (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Bob Baffert	9/2
6	6Wendell Fong (KY)	Trevor McCarthy	120	Natalia Lynch	3/1