Go for Wand

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

SUMMERLY (Summer Squall), OONAGH MACCOOL (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) and TAKE D'

TOUR (Tour d'Or) are but three of the eight fillies and mares set to line up in

Sunday's $250,000 Go for Wand H. (G1) at Saratoga. The 1 1/8-mile event has

drawn a star-studded cast for its 2006 edition, but we're going with Take d'

Tour to continue her present win streak here.

The five-year-old mare broke her maiden at first asking and fared well

against allowance company early in her

career. It was only

when she was switched to trainer David Fawkes after the end of her 2005 campaign

that the chestnut really blossomed. She dropped her first start back this year

off a near five-month layoff but hasn't lost since. In her last two, Take d'

Tour was an easy front-running winner of the Shuvee H. (G2) and Ogden Phipps H.

(G1), beating others in this field in each race. She showed drastic improvement

in numbers as well, recording 104 and 109 BRIS Speed figures as well as

century-topping BRIS E2 Pace ratings. Though she'll be trying nine furlongs for

the first time here, her margin of victory in her past couple of races indicates

she should find no trouble with the added distance. Cornelio Velasquez has

the return call.

NOTHING BUT FUN (Dixie Union) is another who's getting the nod based on

current form. The Michael Hushion charge went undefeated in her first four

races, including the Victory Ride S. and Cotillion H. (G2), but found either the

competition or the four-wide trip in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) too much to

overcome, finishing an even seventh of 13 that day. That was her final start as

a sophomore, and Nothing But Fun returned to take the Mil Kilates S. two back by

1 3/4 lengths. She moved up to Grade 1 competition again in the Phipps, but

could no better than second that day while tracking Take d' Tour for the

entirety of the trip. The dark bay miss will be looking to turn the tables here, and

if our top pick falters even the slightest bit, Nothing But Fun could pounce for

the score. Richard Migliore, who has been aboard for all but her Distaff run,

stays in the irons.

Oonagh Maccool dropped her first U.S. start in a stakes event for trainer

Todd Pletcher but looked unbeatable until running into Happy Ticket (Anet), who

was trying to overcome a case of seconditis, in the Fleur de Lis H. (G2) last

out. The four-year-old miss led from the moment the gates opened, but couldn't

hold off Happy Ticket in the final strides, finishing a head behind that rival.

She still earned a 101 Speed rating for her effort and has already proven

herself at the 1 1/8-mile distance, taking the Rampart H. (G2) going nine

furlongs earlier in the year. Oonagh Maccool is a versatile type who's proven

herself on the turf as well as the dirt, and she shouldn't be overlooked in any

race. However, on this day we'll try to beat her, even with the potent

combination of jockey John Velazquez and Pletcher.

SPUN SUGAR (Awesome Again) came off a two-month break last out in the Phipps,

making up ground late to get fourth. The bay four-year-old started off the year

in fine fashion, coming off a near seven-month vacation to take an allowance/optional

claimer and

then out-neck Happy Ticket in the Apple Blossom H. (G1). She earned a 109 Speed

figure that day, and might have needed her Phipps race after two such stellar

efforts off a long layoff. The Pletcher charge will see a familiar rival in this

one, as she and Summerly faced off a couple of times as sophomores. Mike Luzzi,

who was aboard for the Apple Blossom, gets the mount since Velazquez chose to

ride Oonagh Maccool. Spun Sugar could return to her 2005 earlier form and

challenge for it all here.

Summerly was last seen running second in last year's Coaching Club American Oaks

(G1), but was knocked out for the rest of 2005 after undergoing surgery for a

popped splint bone. Trained by Steve Asmussen last year, she'll be starting here

under Scott Blasi's name while Asmussen serves out a suspension. That shouldn't

affect the chestnut filly's chances, though, but the year-long layoff might.

Last year's Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner was among the top in her division before being

sidelined and could return in a big way here so consider for the exotics despite

the vacation.

POOL LAND (Silver Deputy) is Pletcher's third entry in this race, but he said

that only two of his charges will actually run without specifying which two. It

can't be an easy decision, as all three have the ability to threaten, including

this four-year-old miss. Pool Land has only raced six times in her career, but

has won all but one of those starts. She dominated by 12 lengths in the

Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland earlier this year and was an easy front-running

winner of the Allaire Dupont Breeders' Cup Distaff S. (G3) last out, so don't

overlook her if she runs.

BALLETTO (UAE) (Timber Country) returned this year after being seemingly retired.

So far the chestnut four-year-old hasn't been able to recaptured her Grade

1-winning 2004 form, and we can't back with any confidence against this bunch

until she shows us more. CLASSY CHARM (Silver Charm) has finished behind others

in here before and we don't see her reversing that here.