Timeless Journey May Try $100K Biogio’s Rose
Funny How Targets $100K Broadway To Test Stakes Waters
Maiden Winner Royal Poppy on to Stakes Company in $100K Ruthless
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Alonzo Racing, Michael Bagnoli and Jacqueline Bagnoli’s multiple stakes-placed Three Two Zone will look to make the grade for trainer Ray Handal in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Three Two Zone drew post 1 with Dylan Davis up in the nine-horse field that includes defending winner Drafted and the speedy Pirate Rick, who earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for an allowance victory on Sunday at the Big A.
“I’m a little bummed about the draw, but that’s how it goes,” Handal said. “But, he’s been doing great and I think he’s a better six and a half [furlong] or seven-eighths horse than he is a true six-furlong sprinter.”
Three Two Zone arrives from an even fifth-place finish in the six-furlong Gravesend on December 30 at the Big A. There, he gave chase from fourth position but lacked the needed kick to collar his foes and finished 3 1/2 lengths in arrears of the victorious Drafted.
Handal said Three Two Zone had his last work for the Gravesend delayed due to weather and was forced to cut the work down from a half-mile to three furlongs.
“He was missing that one last punch in that race and I have to think it [was due to] his last workout before being moved to four days out,” Handal said. “I just went an easy three-eighths because he always tries to do too much and I didn’t want to overdo it. I think he was a little short from not having that last half-mile work in him.”
The Gravesend was Three Two Zone’s first start off a fourth-month respite after he finished off-the-board in the Grade 1 Forego in August at Saratoga Race Course. Handal said Three Two Zone should be ready to give a strong effort in his second start off the layoff.
“He’s got a start under his belt, it’s a better distance, and we haven’t missed a beat coming into this one,” Handal said. “I hope that we can turn the tables and get the ‘W’ tomorrow.”
The 5-year-old dark bay son of Street Sense put together a productive 4-year-old season, making five starts for Handal after being transferred from the barn of Marya Montoya last spring. He made his first start for his new conditioner a winning one, scoring a dominant 8 1/2-length optional claiming victory sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in May at Belmont. He followed with a narrow defeat to Happy Farm in a June 17 sprint over the same course before notching another optional claiming score in July at Saratoga Race Course.
Handal said Three Two Zone, whose other two starts at the graded level were off-the-board finishes in the 2021 Grade 2 Pat Day Mile and the aforementioned Forego, is ready for another shot at making the grade.
“I feel a lot more confident than when we took a shot in the Forego and he’s shown us a lot of talent,” said Handal. “He’s a horse who can still be graded stakes quality from what I’ve seen in the mornings and in his race progression. I think he’ll make a good showing and be competitive.”
Handal already boasts a victory this week at Aqueduct after Timeless Journey scored an off-the-pace coup for owner/breeder Merrylegs Farm in Thursday’s seventh race, a nine-furlong open-company optional claimer. Ridden to victory by Dylan Davis, the New York-bred daughter of Verrazano equaled a career-best 84 Beyer for the 1 1/2-length victory over a field that included stakes winners Let Her Inspire U and Ice Princess.
Handal said the dark bay mare, who finished third in the state-bred Ticonderoga over the Belmont Park turf in November 2021, could try stakes company again in the one-mile $100,000 Biogio’s Rose facing New York-breds on March 12 at the Big A.
“She’s nice and she’s got a will to win,” said Handal. “We’re going to try a stakes with her. Those were some nice fillies yesterday and we got a beautiful ride by Dylan. I think she likes to go long and has a lot of tactical speed. I don’t think she wants to go much further and a mile is probably her best distance.”
Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing’s Funny How will also look to test stakes company in her next start after stringing together an impressive four-race win streak. The 4-year-old daughter of Overanalyze will target the $100,000 Broadway, a seven-furlong sprint for state-bred fillies and mares aged 4-years-old and up, on February 12.
“Four in-a-row is hard to do, so we’re testing some pretty deep waters in the Broadway in a couple of weeks,” Handal said. “She’ll breeze tomorrow and is doing great.”
Funny How’s latest victory was a determined nose score in an open-company allowance on January 7 here, stalking the pace in fourth-of-8 under Katie Davis before making a two-wide bid to nail Dame Cinco at the wire by a nose.
“It was a little nerve-racking, but she eked it out and that’s what good horses do – they find ways to win,” Handal said. “Katie will ride her again and she’s done a great job on her.”
Funny How, out of the multiple stakes winning Distorted Humor mare Heavenly Humor, is a half-sister to graded-stakes placed Funny Guy.
Handal added he is looking forward to the next start from Adelphi Racing Club, Pavilion Racing, Zilla Racing Stables and Surrey Lane Stables’ Royal Poppy, who broke her maiden at fifth asking on December 15 here after adding blinkers for the first time. The Florida-bred daughter of Classic Empire will turn her attention to the $100,000 Ruthless on February 4 after earning a 72 Beyer for her winning effort.
“She broke her maiden pretty impressively and she’ll breeze tomorrow,” Handal said. “She’s in great form and I think she needed the blinkers. I think she’ll be a nice filly.”
