Wonder Gadot Posts Bullet in Final Travers Work
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Wonder Gadot works four furlongs Aug. 17 at Saratoga Race Course
Gary Barber's Wonder Gadot completed her major Runhappy Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) preparations with a four-furlong bullet work Aug. 17 as she looks to become the first filly to win the Mid-Summer Derby since 1915.
With exercise rider Chris Galloway aboard, the Mark Casse trainee worked solo over the main track before 6 a.m., breezing in a swift :47.60, the fastest of 67 at the distance. Wonder Gadot covered the first quarter-mile in :23.81 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.66, according to NYRA clockers.
"She goes in :47 and three(-fifths) like most horses go in :51. She's truly amazing." Casse said. "She's sharp. She has a high level of energy all the time. By the time she's finished cooling out this morning, she'll be jumping around and trying to kick people.
"Now, you want to have an easy week and hope everything goes smoothly," he added. "This is our lives: You get them to a point where they're ready, and now you're sitting and waiting."
The work was her second at Saratoga Race Course since winning the July 24 Prince of Wales by 5 3/4 lengths over males at Fort Erie, the second leg of Canada's Triple Crown. The 3-year-old Ontario-bred filly by Medaglia d'Oro won the first leg with similar ease, taking the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate by 4 3/4 lengths over Woodbine's Tapeta course June 30.
Last year, Wonder Gadot won the Mazarine (G3) and Demoiselle (G2) stakes, and she hasn't finished worse than third in eight starts in 2018, including a runner-up finish to Monomoy Girl in the May 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Wonder Gadot will enter the 1 1/4-mile Travers with a record of 5-4-3 from 13 career starts for more than $1.3 million in earnings.
Casse said an announcement regarding the jockey assignment is expected to come Monday. He mentioned Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, Florent Geroux, and Tyler Gaffalione as possibilities. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who rode Wonder Gadot to victory in the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales, has the call aboard Vino Rosso in the Travers.