fbpx
Log In

Veteran dirt sprinters line up in the Grade 3 Tom Fool at Aqueduct on Saturday

Veteran dirt sprinters line up in the Grade 3 Tom Fool at Aqueduct on Saturday 
By the NY Hot List Staff // Friday, March 5, 2021

The $200,000 Grade 3 Tom Fool drew a field of veteran sprinters for this six-furlong dash. The 5-year-old Wendell Fong will try and win a graded stakes race after earning his trainer Natalia Lynch her first career stakes victory in the Fire Plug at Laurel Park in January.

“When he first came to me in the fall a lot of people wanted me to put him in for a tag, but I always felt we could get him back to where he deserved to be,” said Lynch. “It’s been a lot of believing in him and letting him tell us what he needed. To see him win that stakes race was really special. He showed so much heart. He ran back to how he used to run and he knew he won. When he got home, he bounced off the trailer. He was really proud of himself.”

The field is loaded with sprinters that like to race on the front-end, which should give Wendell Fong an ideal set-up. He is listed as the third choice on the morning line at odds of 3-1.

Here are the Hot List picks for the Tom Fool:

The $200,000 Tom Fool (G3), Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 7. (6) Wendell Fong won the Fire Plug at Laurel last start to give his trainer Natalia Lynch her first stake victory. He earned a career high Beyer Speed Figure of 99 when he clipped heels and still was able to rally from last to win by a neck. This field is loaded with early speed and should provide an ideal pace scenario for this 5-year-old. (1) Pete’s Play Call loves Aqueduct where he has three victories including the Gravesend in January. Last start, he missed by a neck in the seven-furlong Toboggan (G2), but six furlongs is his best distance. (2) Share the Ride has been alternating races at Laurel and the Big A. Last time he won the General George (G3) in Maryland going seven furlongs, but he did win the Fall Highweight (G3) in New York going a furlong less. (4) Happy Farm makes his third start following a long layoff which actually began after he finished second in the Tom Fool last year when he was running for Jason Servis. Last time out, he was a front-end winner of a $50,000 open claimer and new trainer Linda Rice might have him back on his game.

Analysis of the other NY Hot List races and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.