NEWS
Westchester Handicap preview: Mr. Sinatra faces Golden Missile
Posted: Friday, April 07, 2000
Mr. Sinatra, who has scored all of his five stakes wins at Aqueduct, including a victory in last year's Westchester Handicap (G3), returns to his favorite track on Saturday in an attempt to defend his title in the $100,000 race at one mile.
The six-year-old son of Mining, owned by Barbara Davis, finished fourth in allowance company at Aqueduct in his last start on March 24 and can claim only one allowance win in five starts so far this year. He is trained by Gasper Moschera and will face seven tough rivals.
Frank Stronach's Golden Missile has been assigned highweight of 116 pounds, four more than Mr. Sinatra, and boasts a runner-up effort to Stephen Got Even in the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream Park on February 5. In his next start, however, the five-year-old son of A.P. Indy was a non-threatening fifth in the New Orleans Handicap (G3) on March 5.
Trained by Joe Orseno, Golden Missile was third in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and has career earnings of $1,042,810 with five wins in 17 starts.
Yankee Victor, who last year won the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park, will carry 115 pounds and Heberto Castillo. Winner of a Gulfstream allowance race on February 5, the four-year-old Saint Ballado colt finished second in the Crème Fraiche Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream on March 11.
Bohemia Stable's Best of Luck, fourth in both the Donn and the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G1) in last two starts, will seek his first win of the year. The son of Broad Brush won the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) and the Stuyvesant Handicap (G3) last year and also will carry 115 pounds.
The field, in post-position order, with jockeys and weights:
Watchman's Warning, Cornelio Velasquez, 112;
Mr. Sinatra, Mike Luzzi, 112;
Best of Luck, Jean-Luc Samyn, 115;
Yankee Victor, Heberto Castillo Jr., 115;
Durmiente (Chi), Shawn Bridgmohan, 113;
Pasay, Jose Espinoza, 112;
Western Expression, Edgar Prado, 112; and
Golden Missile, Aaron Gryder, 116.
