State-Breds Dominate Go for Wand Field

New York-breds get a chance to flex their muscles in open company Dec. 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Chester and Mary Broman will send out two of three state-breds in the cast of seven fillies and mares entered in the one-mile Go for Wand Handicap (gr. III).

The highweight in the field is the Broman’s homebred Bar of Gold, who crushed her foes last time out in the Belmont Park slop in the Empire Distaff Stakes. The 4-year-old filly by Medaglia d'Oro   drew off in the 1 1/16-mile event to win by 18 lengths under Joel Rosario. She earned a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 117—one that hasn’t been matched by any other in the cast.

Bar of Gold has excelled in open company, as well. She finished third just prior to the Empire Distaff in the grade II Presque Isle Masters Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs and has finished second in graded stakes, including last year’s grade I Test at Saratoga Race Course. Bar of Gold is trained by John Kimmel.

Rodrigo Ubillo trains the Bromans’ Highway Star, who also exits a state-bred stakes win. The 3-year-old Girolamo   filly cruised in Aqueduct’s seven-furlong New York Stallion Stakes Nov. 13 under Angel Arroyo. She gets in with 113 pounds as the lone sophomore in the group.

Treadway Racing Stable’s Wonder Gal rounds out the Empire State-bred lineup. The Tiz Wonderful filly won last year’s Empire Distaff, ran second in last year’s Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I), and finished third in the Acorn Stakes (gr. I).

Trained by Leah Gyamati, she’s yet to return to that form. In her last outing she finished 10th to Finest City in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I).

Stakes experience is pretty light on the rest of the field. Martin Schwartz’ High Ridge Road was sharp for trainer Linda Rice this summer but hasn’t been out since finishing fourth behind Angela Renee in Monmouth Park’s Lady’s Secret Stakes July 4.

Stoneway Farm’s Cayman Croc has posted good speed figures in allowances at Parx Racing, but came in third last time out behind Burn Control at a mile. Both make their Big A debuts in the Go for Wand.