Legend of Go for Wand
I’ll never forget the summer of 1990, when Go for Wand owned Saratoga.
The brilliant filly, bred and owned by the gracious Jane duPont Lunger, to my mind was the best of her age and sex since the immortal Ruffian in 1975.
Mrs. Lunger’s Christiana Stables was long a supporter of Saratoga with her trainer Henry Clark in those days.
A Hall of Famer, Clark won the Travers with Christiana’s Thinking Cap in 1955.
He trained Go for Wand’s mother, Obeah, a two-time winner of the Delaware Handicap at 1 ¼ miles.
Clark also trained Obeah’s sire Cyane, who won the Futurity Stakes in 1961 over next year’s champion Jaipur, who
took the Belmont and Travers in 1962.
When Obeah was bred to Deputy Minister, the result was Go for Wand, born in 1987.
Trained by Bill Badgett, she did not race at Saratoga as a 2-year-old.
However, her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies earned her an Eclipse Award for 1989 as champion 2-year-old filly.
When she came to Saratoga for the 1990 season, she had already won the Ashland at Keeneland and Mother Goose at Belmont Park, both Grade 1 events.
At that time, the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga was the main prep for the Alabama Stakes.
The Test was at 7 furlongs and was run just nine days before the Alabama at 1 ¼ miles.
I don’t think there are too many editions of the Test that had such quality as the 1990 edition.
Go for Wand was top weight at 124 pounds and conceded from three to eight pounds to her nine opponents.
Stella Madrid was on hand, she the winner of the Spinaway, Matron, Frizette, and Acorn.
Screen Prospect held a victory over colts at Churchill Downs and won the La Troienne at that track.
Token Dance was the Prioress winner at Belmont Park.
In from California was Forest Fealty, winner of the Railbird.
Breaking from post two, Go for Wand dragged jockey Randy Romero to the front and hit the half-mile in 44 3/5 and six furlongs in 1:08 1/5.
She won by two lengths in 1:21, equaling the stakes record of Very Subtle, who was a pure sprinter, set in 1987.
The Test had been run at that distance since 1927, and the time was faster than that posted by such great sprinting fillies such as Safely Kept, Gold Beauty, My Juliet, and Ta Wee in the race.
I spoke with Badgett the morning after and like most observers, he was amazed, I dare say startled, at her display of raw power.
She had missed the Coaching Club American Oaks, which followed the Mother Goose by four weeks, due to a cough, so she had received a freshening before the Saratoga meet.
In the Alabama, Go for Wand won by seven lengths on a track listed as “good.”
Only two opposed her that day, with Charon finishing second and Pampered Star being eased.
Charon was a good one, having won the Coaching Club American Oaks by nine lengths.
Go for Wand was timed in 2:00 4/5 for the ten furlongs of the Alabama, the fastest time in the history of the ancient race since it was fixed at the distance in 1917.
Faster than Alabama greats like Shuvee, Fanfreluche, Desert Vixen, Mom’s Command, and Open Mind.
After Saratoga, Go for Wand won the Maskette and Beldame, both Grade 1 for older females at Belmont Park, and headed for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff with the division title in her pocket.
Her career, and her life, ended tragically with a fatal breakdown while leading in the stretch in the Distaff, held at Belmont Park.
When the field enters the starting gate for the Alabama on Saturday, I will be thinking of Go for Wand’s glorious summer at the Spa.