Sand Devil Returns to Work with Wood Memorial in Focus

Chester Broman Sr.'s New York homebred Sand Devil had his first work back since a runner-up effort in the Gotham Stakes (G3) March 1, covering a half-mile in :49 in company March 15 over the Belmont Park dirt training track. Trained by Linda Rice, Sand Devil is targeting the nine-furlong $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack, a 100-50-25-15-10 qualifier for the Kentucky Derby (G1). "He went nice, went out five-eighths in 1:01 and 2, galloped out three-quarters in 13 and 3—we were very happy," Rice said of the work. "He stayed with the company for about a half-mile and then went on by himself. We are headed towards the Wood Memorial, and things are going the right way." The chestnut son of Violence was handed his first career defeat by Flood Zone in the one-turn mile Gotham, where he stumbled at the break under regular pilot Jose Lezcano and rushed up to engage in a three-way battle for the lead with Flood Zone and Normandy Coast. Sand Devil stuck his head in front at the three-quarters call before being collared by Flood Zone heading into the stretch, and was defeated by 3 1/4 lengths while 1 3/4 lengths clear of third-place Garamond. Sand Devil was awarded 25 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the effort. "We felt like things didn't unfold perfectly for him, but there's no shame in being second in the Gotham," Rice said. "He stumbled at the break and then rushed up and was head-and-head for the lead. Nothing went perfectly, but we still got 25 points." Sand Devil entered the Gotham undefeated in three starts against state-breds at the Big A, beginning with a debut graduation Dec. 8 sprinting six furlongs. He then romped by 12 1/2-lengths in a one-turn mile optional claimer Jan. 2, and aced his first stakes test in the seven-furlong Damon Runyon when edging National Identity in the final jumps Feb. 8. Rice said she is cautiously optimistic Sand Devil will relish a stretch-out to two turns in the Wood Memorial. "You have to wait and see. We're hopeful it will suit him and that the easier fractions might be helpful, but you never know until you send them out there," Rice said. Rice is also likely to start Ronald Stewart's multiple stakes-placed mare St. Benedicts Prep in the seven-furlong $175,000 Distaff (G3) on the April 5 Wood Memorial card. The 5-year-old Flatter bay has hit the board in four consecutive stakes, including a last-out nose defeat to Sunday Girl in the six-furlong Correction March 2. St. Benedicts Prep also finished third in the listed Barbara Fritchie Feb. 15 and second in the What A Summer Jan. 18, with both Laurel Park efforts surrounding a runner-up finish in the local Interborough Jan. 25. "She's doing well and she's been really solid. She's had several stakes placings and we're hoping for some graded black type," Rice said. St. Benedicts Prep was an $80,000 claim for Rice out of a win in April at Keeneland. She has hit the board in 10-of-12 starts for her current connections, including a pair of allowance level wins at Saratoga Race Course last summer and an optional claiming coup in January at the Big A.