Godolphin Racing’s homebred Indulgent earned her first stakes victory, and her first win since January, in taking Saturday’s $200,000 Go for Wand Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct by a length under jockey Luis Saez.
Indulgent broke in second outside of Lucy N Ethel, who led the way through the opening half-mile in :23.52 and :46.82. Highway Star and Verve’s Tale kept in close attendance down the backstretch just behind that pair.
Rounding the turn, Indulgent drew even with Lucy N Ethel and grabbed command in the lane. Highway Star, who captured the 2016 Go for Wand by a nose, chased the Kiaran McLaughlin pupil home, but could never reel her in as Indulgent finished a mile over the fast main track in 1:37.75.
Sent off the 12-1 second longest shot in the seven-distaffer field, Indulgent paid $27.40 for the win. Highway Star had a half-length to spare on Verve’s Tale, who re-rallied in the stretch after fading a bit nearing the turn. Going for Broke overtook Lucy N Ethel in the lane to grab fourth, and completing the order of finish were Flora Dora and Jamyson ‘n Ginger.
Indulgent took three tries to break her maiden, finally getting the job done last fall at Parx Racing, and capped a three-race win streak when making her four-year-old bow with a 1 1/4-length score against allowance/optional claiming rivals on January 26 over Aqueduct’s inner dirt.
That would be the last win for the dark bay daughter of Bernardini until Saturday’s Go for Wand. Indulgent missed by a half-length while making her stakes bow in the Distaff Handicap (G3) in April, but was unplaced in the Ruffian Stakes (G2) and Bed o’ Roses Stakes (G3) at Belmont. She sandwiched a sixth-placing in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (G2) between a third in the Shine Again Stakes and second in the Pumpkin Pie Stakes last out on November 5.
Bred by Darley in Kentucky, Indulgent is now 12-4-3-1, $342,117 lifetime. She is out of the Grade 2-winning Deputy Minister mare Fast Cookie, making her a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-scoring multi-millionaire Frosted.
Fast Cookie is herself out of the dual Grade 2-winning Avenue of Flags mare Fleet Lady and counts as half-siblings champion and successful sire Midshipman as well as the dam of last-out Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up Solomini.
GO FOR WAND QUOTES
Luis Saez, jockey Indulgent, winner
“Last time she ran so hard, (but) the only issue was the rail. Last time (when second in the November 5 Pumpkin Pie Stakes), the rail was heavy and she broke from the inside and we couldn’t get out and that hurt a little bit. Today, she got an outside post and she broke pretty well. We came to the straight, I asked her and she took off.”
Godolphin USA President Jimmy Bell, owner Indulgent, winner
“It’s very special. As I’m sure everybody figured out quickly, she has a more famous older brother and to have that filly and the family continue on with her being a graded stakes winner makes a big difference.
“I talked to Luis (Saez), and he said she broke very kindly and was right there with him. She settled nicely and responded. It was one of those picture-perfect trips. She stayed out in a good position in a good part of the track and came home fastest of all.
“To put a graded victory under her name is very, very important. It’s great for Sheik Mohammad’s breeding to carry on this great family that’s been so good to us with Frosted, obviously, Midshipman and some others. This should make her a very welcome addition to the breeding operation. “I think we’ll just take this a step at a time. I don’t know if this is her last race, but this is her most important race.”
