Way the Risks, owned by the Klaravich stable, has been impressive this year, winning three of four races and is in excellent shape heading into Saturday’s $150,000 Go for Wand Stakes—a one-turn mile race for fillies and mares aged three and up—at Aqueduct Racecourse.
Trainer Chad Brown’s 4-year-old colt, Mendelssohn, initially raced mostly on grass, winning just once in his first seven starts. However, since switching back to dirt for his last five races, he has shown marked improvement.
Since returning to dirt last November, Way the Risks has dominated, winning an Optional Claimer by nine lengths over the same Aqueduct course and distance. She also triumphed in two more One Turn Mile races at Aqueduct, including a commanding 6 1/4-length victory in February’s Heavenly Prize Invitational over Bernie Takeschcharge and another Optional Claimer in January.
“She’s really come into her own on dirt,” said Chad Brown. “We’ve given her time to develop, and this seems to be her optimum level. Distance won’t be a problem, and I’m very pleased with how she’s shaping up for this race.”
Way the Risks’ last two races were over seven furlongs, including a dominant win at Saratoga in July where she earned a career-best Beyer speed figure of 101. Her most recent win came on November 8 at Aqueduct, beating Pumpkin Pie by 1 1/4 lengths.
Brown noted that Mendelssohn’s initial grass campaign was influenced by previous successful horses on grass, but after feedback from jockeys, they switched her back to dirt, where she’s thrived. “She wasn’t getting a good grip on the grass, so the dirt proved a better fit,” he explained.
Way the Risks (Post 3, Manny Franco) completed a workout in 49.83 seconds over a half-mile track under windy conditions at Belmont Park on Sunday as part of her final prep. “She did great, just a maintenance breeze. We’re excited to have her ready; she’s had a very solid season,” Brown added.
Purchased for $205,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Way the Risks was bred in Kentucky by Porta Pier Stables. She is out of the Candy Ride mare Beautiful Liar and is a half-sister to stakes winner Cheapskate Diva. Another contender, the dam of the second horse, is G3 finisher Forty Move.
Lepore Stable’s G3 winner Scalable (2-year-old colt, Kendrick Carmouche) finished seventh and last, 10 lengths behind in the race, just 1 3/4 lengths away from third place and evaluating the competition like Pumpkin Pie. Trainer Todd Pletcher’s 4-year-old Speightstown Gray recently won the seven-furlong Interborough in January but finished sixth in the Gallant Bloom (G2) last September after a long break.
“Pumpkin Pie was a bit too far back but made a good run in the latter half. The extra distance should benefit her; it seems to suit her style,” Pletcher said.
Scalable ran eight races last year and captured the 1 1/16-mile Monmouth Oaks (G3) at Monmouth Park in July. Purchased for $200,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Scalable is out of the Tapit mare Passionflower, a half-sister to Pletcher’s G1 winner Stop Charging Maria. Overall, Scalable has four wins, one second, and two thirds from 14 starts, earning $529,878.
Pletcher won the former G3 race last year with Tizzy in the Sky. Previous notable winners include Ashad (2005), Spun Sugar (2006), and Royal Lahaina (2013).
Coming back from over a year off is RT Racing stable’s Just Catherine (5-year-old mare, Sahin Shivashi), who last ran a close second in a seven-furlong sprint at Aqueduct in September. Jose Jimenez’s 5-year-old Justify Bay placed a close second to Brown’s Acceed in last June’s G2 Bed O’ Roses at Aqueduct over seven furlongs.
Just Catherine has raced 10 times in her 15-start career, recording 4 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds. Her highest Beyer speed figure stands at 94, just a length and a half behind Brown-trained millionaire Millionaire, who secured two G1 wins at one mile in Saratoga during 2023.
Rounding out the field is Stonewall Star (6-year-old colt, Jaime Rodriguez), a multiple stakes winner trained by Horacio de Paz. Also in the mix are Zadorski (Post 4, Jose Gomez) under trainer Whit Beckman, and Tipple (Post 1, Jose Rezcano) trained by Linda Rice.
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Fan Take: This race highlights the rising talent and strategic training decisions shaping the future stars of horse racing. Fans should watch closely as Way the Risks and Mendelssohn showcase how adaptability and class can make all the difference on the racing circuit, promising exciting competition ahead for the sport.
