Is Twice The Vice Back in Groove?

The first 11 months of this year have been productive for Martin and Pam Wygod, and 1996 also appears promising for the successful owners and breeders.

In January, Key Phrase gave the Wygods their first Grade I victory, in the Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita. Two more Grade I victories followed. Pirate’s Revenge beat Paseana in the Milady at Hollywood Park, then Private Persuasion scored a front-running surprise in the Vanity.

The Wygods have Twice The Vice, Exotic Wood and Fruition to look forward to in the coming year.

Purchased by the Wygods for a reported $1 million-plus in late 1993, Twice The Vice was something of a disappointment at the Santa Anita winter meeting. After finishing second in the La Brea Stakes, she was third in the La Canada and El Encino Stakes, then didn’t race during the spring or summer.

Trained by Ron Ellis, the 4-year-old Vice Regent filly returned to action Nov. 15, the opening day of the current Hollywood Park meeting, and easily won the Flawlessly Stakes on turf.

Capable on grass and dirt, she will move back to the main track on Sunday, when she and Pirate’s Revenge take on Urbane in the $100,000 Bayakoa Handicap at 1 1/16 miles.

A winner of six of 13 starts, Twice The Vice worked five furlongs in 1:02 Thursday morning at Santa Anita in her final prep for the Grade II race.

“She was just breezing,” said Ellis. “She doesn’t need much.”

Pirate’s Revenge, who will race coupled with Twice The Vice, most recently was second behind Yearly Tour in the California Cup Matron.

If the Wygods and Ellis can’t handle Urbane with Twice The Vice or Pirate’s Revenge, there’s always Exotic Wood.

One of the more exciting prospects in California in recent years, the 3-year-old Rahy filly has won her four starts by an average of 4 3/4 lengths.

Last Sunday’s Pine Tree Lane Handicap was supposed to be Exotic Wood’s sternest challenge because she was meeting Angi Go, a multiple-stakes winner; Igotrhythm, who had finished second to Top Flight winner Twist Afleet in her last start in New York, and Evil’s Pic, who had won seven of her first nine races.

Instead, the Kentucky-bred cantered home again, winning by five lengths in 1:21 for seven furlongs. Chris McCarron, who has ridden her in three of her four races, never asked for anything close to her best.

Next for Exotic Wood is Santa Anita’s La Canada Series, which, besides Urbane, is expected to bring out certain 3-year-old filly champion Serena’s Song.

The three-race series is the La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs Dec. 28, the 1 1/16-mile El Encino in January and the nine-furlong La Canada in February.

“I don’t know if she’s better going long, but I guarantee she can run long,” Ellis said. “When I worked her a mile, I’ve never had a horse work like that, where every eighth [of a mile] was faster than the first ones.”