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Bavaro puts unbeaten streak on line in Saturday's Gander; Toni Tools stretches out in Sunday's Maddie May

by NYRA Press Office

August Dawn Farm's Bavaro will look to stay undefeated after starting his career 2-for-2 in headlining a field of five New York-bred 3-year-olds in Saturday's $100,000 Gander on the inner dirt track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Bavaro's 101 Beyer Speed Figure in his stakes debut is the highest recorded in the field that includes fellow stakes winners Haul Anchor and Caledonian. Trained by Gary Sciacca, Bavaro, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, won the NYSS Great White Way by 3 ¾-lengths last out on December 17 after winning his first start in November at the Big A. 

Owned by Hall of Fame NFL coach Bill Parcells and named after former New York Giants Pro Bowl tight end Mark Bavaro, the gray Freud colt will look to stretch out to one mile and 70 yards after his two victories at six furlongs.

Jockey Manny Franco, who piloted Bavaro to victory last month, will have the return call from post 5.

The consistent Haul Anchor, who won his first stakes by capturing the Damon Runyon on December 29, drew the inside post at 5-2 morning-line odds. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Haul Anchor, by Bernardini, is 2-3-0 in six career starts, and will be ridden again by Cornelio Velasquez.

Bourbon Empire, who scratched from the Damon Runyon due to the sloppy track, drew post 4 with jockey Rajiv Maragh at 3-1. Trained by Mark Hennig, Bourbon Empire won his first race on October 26 before rallying for third in his stakes debut in the Notebook on November 19. 

Caledonian, who defeated Always a Suspect by a neck to win the Lost In The Fog, is 2-1-0 in four starts, all at six furlongs, entering his first-ever route for trainer John Terranova. Eric Cancel will be in the irons from post 2 as the 8-1 choice.

Carradine, who finished third in the Damon Runyon, won at one mile and 70 yards on the inner track December 17, overtaking The Caretaker in the stretch to win an optional claimer. Angel Arroyo will ride the 5-1 choice from post 3.

On Sunday, Toni Tools will try two turns for the first time in the second running of the $100,000 Maddie May for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies at a mile and 70 yards.

The sophomore daughter of Roaring Fever enters the Maddie May with three straight sprinting wins under her belt, including a half-length score in the six-furlong NYSS Fifth Avenue on a muddy and sealed inner track on December 18. Trained by Todd Pletcher for St. Elias Stable, MeB Racing Stables and Brooklyn Boyz Stables, Toni Tools will break from post 5 with jockey Manny Franco.

Carl Lizza Racing Stable's Cha Cha Heels will step up to the stakes level following her nine-length breakthrough victory in an off-the-turf maiden special weight December 3. A $100,000 2-year-old-in-training purchase, the Rudy Rodriguez trainee will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from the outside post.

Rounding out the field are Joemar Racing Stable's homebred Dublin Girl, a four-length maiden winner on January 2 from the Dominick Schettino barn; Treatherlikestar, fifth in the January 14 Ruthless last time out for owner-trainer Gustavo Delgado; Robert E. Reid, Jr.-trained Bree's Got Heart, third in the East View on December 30; and Bliss to You, seventh in an optional claimer last time out for trainer Russell Cash and owner-breeder Joseph Birnbaum.