Math Wizard targeting major races

The Grade 1 winner and millionaire Math Wizard is settled in at Saratoga and has a couple of options for his next start, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., said Wednesday. The horse is a candidate for that track’s Woodward, or the Charles Town Classic.

Math Wizard shipped from his Gulfstream Park base to Monmouth earlier this month and finished second in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 18. For the effort he equaled his career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

“He ran well,” Joseph said. “We could go to the Charles Town Classic. If not, we’ll stay at Saratoga for the Woodward.”

The Grade 2, $600,000 Charles Town Classic will be run over a mile and an eighth Aug. 28. The Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward is at a mile and a quarter Sept. 5.

I’ll Take the Cake makes return

Joseph leads the trainer standings at Gulfstream and will attempt to pad his stats Friday, when he sends out I’ll Take the Cake in the featured ninth race. She will start as one of the top contenders in the second-level allowance for fillies and mares at a mile. The race carries an optional-claiming price of $62,500.

Violent Trick is a threat to wire the five-horse field off a first-level allowance win June 13 at Gulfstream, while Alizee won at the same level July 3 at Gulfstream.

I’ll Take the Cake in her last start won the $50,000 Lady Bird, an overnight stakes Feb. 17 at Gulfstream.

“We’re hoping she’s fit enough to run her best race,” said Joseph regarding the layoff.

I’ll Take the Cake won the Lady Bird over seven furlongs. The race was her first for Joseph and owners Collarmele Vitelli Stables and Bassett Stable after being purchased at a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic auction in December.

“She ran a good race,” Joseph said. “At the quarter pole, she looked like she was going to back up and she re-rallied, came back. We got the right race tempo, a fast pace.”

Joseph noted runner-up Liza Star has since won two races.

As for I’ll Take the Cake, she picks up a tad more ground.

“In my opinion, I think the mile will be better,” Joseph said. “Last time, she was kind of outpaced. I think the mile could have a better tempo. She’s never gone a one-turn mile, but I think it will be to her liking.”

Joseph long has been familiar with I’ll Take the Cake, who started her career on a synthetic track at Woodbine.

“I wanted to claim her so many years back,” he said. “I thought she’d like the dirt. I followed her for a long time.”

I’ll Take the Cake has registered six of her 11 wins on dirt. She is in for the claiming price Friday. Marcos Meneses has the mount from post 3.