Taris Rolls Clear in Go for Wand

Coming off a third in the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I), Taris collected another stakes score Nov. 27 when she rolled clear to victory in the $300,000 Go for Wand Handicap (gr. III) at New York's Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 4-year-old daughter of Flatter   was the deserved 4-5 favorite for the one-turn mile test in the state where her sire has made his mark, and after tracking pacesetter Spelling Again throughout, she ranged up to take charge en route to a 2 1/2-length score.

"She got a perfect trip," trainer Simon Callaghan said. "She did it very well. It was a nice race with a solid field and we're glad she performed today." 

Spelling Again cut opening fractions of :23.80 and :47.49, with Taris three-quarters of a length back to her outside flank, then attempted to carry on through three-quarters in 1:11.46, but the eventual winner was looming.

"I could've been on the lead, (but) I just didn't want to let her go too quick probably," said jockey Joel Rosario, who picked up the mount after Hall of Famer Gary Stevens felt ill and light-headed after a sauna session prior to riding. "The horse on the inside looked like she wanted the lead, so I thought I should go with (her)... Just sit a little bit behind (her), let (her) set up the pace, and come again."

Despite floating outward coming off the turn, Taris kicked home to a final time of 1:36.10 on a fast track. 

"She's a nice filly. She just wants to keep going," Rosario said. "I looked at the (Daily Racing) Form, saw her running style, and I had an idea what she'd like to do, what she wouldn't like to do. I watched replays and all that, so I was very confident. I watched her last time when she ran in the Breeders' Cup.

"I tried to get off the rail a little bit, just let her build a little confidence. She looked like she was really happy in the middle of the track, so I just let her be. She knew exactly what she liked to do."

Taris returned $3.80, $2.90, and $2.40, while closer Mei Ling brought $7.40 and $4.50 at odds of 11-1, with 4-1 Spelling Again holding third to pay $3.50. Kiss to Remember, America, Willet, and Playful Love completed the order of finish.

A $2,350,000 purchase from the Darby Dan consignment at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale when Callaghan signed the ticket for Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith, Taris is now a three-time graded stakes winner. She added to her tally that includes the Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III) and the Lexus Raven Run (gr. II), improving her record to 6-1-2 from 10 starts for earnings of $687,700.

Taris was bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider out of the Theatrical mare Comedy, and sold to Commonwealth New Era Racing for $90,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale when consigned by Claiborne. She made her first five starts for Commonwealth and trainer Todd Beattie, before capping that portion of her career with the Raven Run score. After suffering a non-displaced condylar fracture in her right front ankle when running second in the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (gr. I) for her new connections, she returned to winning form this August with her Rancho Bernardo win.

"There's a race in February at Santa Anita where she's likely to enter next, but nothing is set in stone," Callaghan said.