Snicket back on short rest for $120K Garland of Roses

Highland Yard’s stakes-placed New York-bred Snicket will wheel back on short notice in Saturday’s $120,000 Garland of Roses, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by David Duggan, the 5-year-old Lemon Drop Kid mare tracked in second throughout in a six-furlong open optional-claiming sprint last out on December 2 at the Big A won, by a neck, by stakes-winner Secret Love. That effort came on the heels of a gate-to-wire open allowance win on October 20 at Belmont at the Big A.

“The last two races have been pretty good. We dabbled with some shoe changes on her that seem to have worked,” Duggan said. “We’re dipping into deep waters with these 3-year-old fillies that had questionable runs the last time and had a bit of a breather, but they’re good fillies and we’re just hoping we can get a piece of it.”

Snicket has made two previous stakes starts, both in state-bred company, finishing fifth in the Dancin Renee in June at Belmont Park and second in the Union Avenue in August at Saratoga Race Course.

“She’s probably going to be retired in the New Year, so some open-company black type is the main goal,” Duggan said.

Snicket will exit post 3 under Luis Rodriguez Castro with a 15-1 morning-line assessment. Duggan said she is likely to chase the pace of her younger rivals.