Condo Commando Tops Gazelle Contenders

Multiple graded stakes winner Condo Commando will be the one to beat in the $300,000 Gazelle Stakes (gr. II) April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.



Owned by Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and The Elkstone Group, Condo Commando has won four of five career starts, including graded stakes scores in the 2014 Spinaway (gr. I) and Demoiselle (gr. II).



Making her 3-year-old debut in the Feb. 21 Busher Stakes at Aqueduct, Condo Commando drew off as the 1-5 favorite to prevail by 4 3/4 lengths, earning 50 qualifying points toward a berth in the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks May 1 at Churchill Downs.



Condo Commando currently sits third on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 61 points.



The top 14 in points will earn a spot in the starting gate for the Oaks. The Gazelle will offer Kentucky Oaks points (100-40-20-10) to the top four finishers.



In her debut, Condo Commando broke her maiden by 12 lengths, while running for a $75,000 claiming tag at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 3.



Off that impressive score, she was entered in the Aug. 31 Spinaway at Saratoga, where she prevailed by 13 1/4 lengths.



Condo Commando, a daughter of Tiz Wonderful out of the General Report mare Yearly Report, suffered the lone loss of her career when she finished fourth over a sloppy, sealed track in the Frizette Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park, a track that trainer Rudy Rodriguez said she had never handled, Oct. 4.



Rodriguez passed on the Breeders' Cup with the talented filly to await the Nov. 29 Demoiselle and watched the fast filly prevail by another impressive margin of 11 1/2 lengths.



She was given the rest of the year off and returned to action this year in the Busher, where she won easily while geared down.



Since the Busher, Condo Commando has posted four workouts for the Gazelle, including an easy four furlong breeze at Aqueduct March 31, covering the distance in :50.01.



Condo Commando will be ridden by Joel Rosario in the 1 1/8-mile contest and will break from post 5 in the field of seven, carrying 122 pounds.



Just to her outside in post six is Jacaranda, who is starting co-highweight at 122 pounds with Condo Commando.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Barry Schwartz, Jacaranda won the first two starts of her career, including a victory in the Tempted Stakes (gr. III) Nov. 2 at Aqueduct, but faltered in her 3-year-old debut when 11th in the Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 21.



Jacaranda was purchased by Schwartz for $250,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale.