G2 Go For Wand Handicap at Aqueduct

The G2 Go For Wand Handicap at Aqueduct attracted a field of nine for the one mile race on the dirt, including ARENA ELVIRA, winner of the G2 Fall City Handicap at Churchill Downs, so I really expect only eight in the starting gate today. Here's a look at the field:

LOVELY LIL finished 3rd in a G2 race two back at Belmont Park and 2nd in a statebred minor stakes race last out. She's going for her 2nd try at the mile distance after finishing 2nd in her lone start in a n2x allowance race at Philadelphis Park in 2010.

RISKY RACHEL has won two straight including the same statebred minor stakes race that LOVELY LIL is coming out of (The Iroquois Stakes). Two back, she ran away with an optional claiming race for non winners of two at Saratoga. This marks her graded stakes debut.

ALL DUE RESPECT is coming back off a layoff after finishing 3rd in the Latroiene on the Kentucky Oaks undercard this past May. She has ran well off layoffs before and Richard Dutrow is available to saddle her here. She's looking for her 2nd win of 2011 and first graded stakes victory. She will likely be on or near the lead early.

KATY NOW is stepping up to graded company for the second time after a trio of failed efforts in 2010. She comes into this one off a victory in the Dispute Stakes at Belmont in September for Todd Pletcher. She's in good form this time and poses the greatest threat to likely favorite ALL DUE RESPECT.

INDIAN LEGEND took a 250k ungraded event at Parx in May after winning a n2x allowance race, but has done little since leaving that track. In three starts since, she has finished no better than 4th.

SPA CITY PRINCESS hasn't won since taking a statebred stakes race at Aqueduct in April of this year, but has been close recently in other statebred stakes races. This represents a class jump for this one, but she did manage a 3rd and 4th place finish in graded events over the summer.

PERSUADING has early speed and is coming off two straight 4th place finishes against graded company. She owns one win this year, taking an optional claiming race at Churchill Downs in June. Another one who will have to step up here.

C C'S PAL showed the ability to rate for Richard Dutrow in her first start for that barn last out, winning a minor stakes race at Belmont Park. Could be a value play under her new connections.

There is a number of horses in here that like to be on or near the lead. ALL DUE RESPECT is the class of the field, but she has been out for 200+ days and could be vulnerable. I'll try to beat her with C C'S PAL and KATY NOW in several exacta plays. I'll play a $5 exacta wheel with C C'S PAL, KATY NOW and PERSUADING over ALL DUE RESPECT and then box the three on top in a separate $1 exacta for a total investment of $21. We'll be back later with a recap and a look at the remaining graded stakes today.