Drafted bests Little Vic in the Gravesend (Chelsea Durand)
Multiple Stakes-Placed Snicket Retired
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hilbert and Thomas O’Keefe’s Drafted rallied to finish third in his title defense of Saturday’s Grade 3 Toboggan, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by David Duggan and piloted by Luis Rodriguez Castro, the 9-year-old Field Commission gelding made his usual late run to finish 1 1/4-lengths back of runner-up Little Vic, who was a further 8 1/2-lengths back of the victorious Repo Rocks. The winner garnered a lofty 111 Beyer Speed Figure, while Drafted registered a 92 Beyer, which was just one point less than the number earned for his nose score over Little Vic in the six-furlong Gravesend on December 30 here.
Duggan said Drafted exited the effort in good order and will point to the six-furlong Grade 3, $150,000 Tom Fool Handicap on March 4 here.
“I’m not disappointed. He ran his race and showed up. We just got beat by a better horse on the day that ran a huge number,” Duggan said. “I’d love to have got second, but we were never going to beat the winner. He came back out of it physically fine and we’ll come back prepared for next time which will more than likely be the Tom Fool.”
Duggan said his multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire is effective at both six and seven furlongs.
“It doesn’t seem to make a difference for him numbers wise,” Duggan said. “We had a fast enough pace yesterday and it didn’t make a difference. There was no way we were going to beat the winner. The second horse is a legitimate horse and we mugged him the last time and he got us back yesterday. We run consistent 90-plus numbers and that gets you a piece of the cake, but Repo Rocks ran a Group 1 performance yesterday.”
Bred in Florida by John Foster, Barbara Hooker and Field Commission Partnership, Drafted boasts a ledger of 34-10-3-5 for purse earnings of $1,175,443.
“He’s been a banner horse for us and he seems to keep going just like the Energizer Bunny,” said Duggan, with a laugh.
Duggan said Highland Yard’s multiple stakes-placed Snicket was retired following her third-place finish in the What A Summer on January 21 at Laurel Park.
“She came back out of that race fine and she’s off to be a mother now. She has an expensive date ahead of her with War Front,” Duggan said.
The 6-year-old New York-bred daughter of Lemon Drop Kid is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Ever So Pretty, who is a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Stormello and graded-stakes winner My Best Brother; as well as being a half-sibling to graded-stakes winner Gala Award.
Snicket retired with a ledger of 30-4-11-4 for purse earnings of $408,410, including a runner-up effort in the state-bred Union Avenue in August at Saratoga Race Course. All four of her wins came at the Big A.
“She got some black type in open company which boosted her value and stature and solidified her as a mare,” Duggan said. “It’s an adage to the New York program to have a filly like this that can be competitive in New York company and then add some value in open company. I’d like to have 10 of them in the barn like her.”
