Withers Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Slider Heads East for Gotham

Hall Racing, Pearl Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds' Slider (Jimmy Creed) will ship east in search of additional qualifying Kentucky Derby points in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct. Winner of the Speakeasy S. over the turf at Santa Anita last October, Slider was ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. He returned to the main track to be third in the Jan. 6 GII San Vicente S. last time out.

Trained by John Sadler, Slider turned in bullet five-furlong work in :59.00 (1/121) at Santa Anita Sunday.

“He worked very well,” Sadler said Sunday. “He ended up catching a couple horses that broke off in front of him, but for me, it was more about how he galloped out since this will be the furthest he's ever run. If he looks good tomorrow, he gets on a plane early Tuesday to be there Tuesday afternoon to run Saturday.”

Sadler said timing was the main reason Slider was making the 2,792-mile journey from Santa Anita to Ozone Park for the Gotham.

“The spacing is good from his last race and we like a one-turn mile with him, so there's a lot of things to like for him [in the Gotham],” said Sadler.

Jose Lezcano, who won last year's Gotham aboard Raise Cain (Violence), will pick up the mount Saturday.

Sadler nominated two other colts to the Gotham, but said the duo will have other Derby prep assignments.

West Point Thoroughbreds' Scatify (Justify) returned from a debut win at Los Alamitos in December to be third behind the runaway winner Nysos (Nyquist) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita Feb. 3.

“He might be looking at the [Mar. 2 GII] San Felipe or the [Mar. 9 GIII] Tampa Bay Derby,” said Sadler. “We were anxious to get him started and he was a little later getting to me than some of the other ones. We were pleasantly happy with his first race, and missed a little time before the Bob Lewis. He wasn't going to beat the winner that day, but I think if things had gone a little differently, he could have been second.”

Hronis Racing's Tapalo (Tapiture), most recently second in the Feb. 10 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate, will likely remain on the synthetics and make his next start in the Mar. 23 GIII Jeff Ruby S. at Turfway Park.

“Tapalo will probably go to the Jeff Ruby,” said Sadler. “That was synthetic at Golden Gate and he ran a really nice race up there. I think he's a developing horse and it was a close race. He's progressing.”

Maximus Meridius Set to Make Stakes Debut in Gotham

Trainer Butch Reid is pointing Maximus Meridius (Maximus Mischief) to the Gotham. The bay colt worked four furlongs in :47.68 (2/33) at Parx Saturday.

“He breezed beautifully in :47 and change like breaking sticks. He's ready to go,” Reid said. “He did it on his own, he tends to get a little keyed up in company.”

Owned by LC Racing, Cash is King and Wellesley Stable, Maximus Meridius romped to a 10 1/2-length debut victory at Parx last November. He was third, beaten two lengths by Frankie's Empire (Classic Empire), who exited that race to win the Swale S. at Gulfstream Park, in a Dec. 26 optional claimer. Adding blinkers for his third start, Maximus Meridius returned to the winner's circle with a front-running victory going 6 1/2 furlongs at Parx Jan. 30.

Reid said the colt came to him via his brother, the retired Pennsylvania Hall of Fame trainer Mark Reid, who is known by the family as 'Uncle Heavy.'

“He's been very impressive from the beginning,” Reid said of Maximus Meridius. “He's a big, strong horse that we found out of a field in Chester County, Pennsylvania at my brother's place. He's been very forward the whole time we've had him.”

Reid said Uncle Heavy (Social Inclusion), a last-gasp winner of the GIII Withers S. Feb. 3, will aim for the Apr. 6 GII Wood Memorial S.

Due to an Equine Herpesvirus quarantine at Belmont Park, Uncle Heavy was shipped to a farm in Pennsylvania following his Withers victory, but was able to return to his Parx base Sunday with the quarantine now lifted.

“He was on the jogging machine and he didn't lose any fitness. He looks fantastic,” Reid said. “We'll have time for three or four good breezes. I'm not worried about fitness at all.”

Reid said he was impressed with Uncle Heavy's late-running win in the Withers.

“The key was the way he finished up. His last five strides were huge, big strides and he gobbled that horse up,” Reid said. “That was very impressive his first time going a mile and an eighth and we'll see if we can confirm that coming back in the Wood.”

Owned by Michael Milam, Uncle Heavy was bred by Reid's sister-in-law Barbara Reid and named for his brother.

“It's a great story and he's been a real find so far,” Reid said.

Uncle Heavy has banked $293,580 with a 4-3-0-0 record.

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Remsen Win Has Gargan Thinking Derby for Dornoch

Dornoch (Good Magic)'s determined victory in the GII Remsen S. Saturday at Aqueduct has Danny Gargan mapping out possible paths to next year's GI Kentucky Derby, but the trainer admitted his charge has plenty of growing up to do if he is to make it to Churchill Downs on the First Saturday of next May.

Dornoch, who set swift fractions in the nine-furlong race Saturday, appeared defeated with a furlong to run when he bumped the rail and allowed Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) to surge past him. But Dornoch battled back along the inside and stuck his nose back in front in the final stride.

“It's crazy. Usually when a horse hits the rail at the eighth pole like he did, they just stop running altogether,” said Gargan. “I can't believe he re-rallied after that. He did see the other horse and get running back at him, but hitting the rail knocked him off stride and then it took him a few jumps to get back going. I think if he doesn't hit the rail, he stays in front. I've never seen a horse get passed a length and then come back and win. It was a really good race.”

Dornoch, a full-brother to this year's Derby winner Mage, will head south to winter at Palm Meadows with possible early 2024 targets including the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct or the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park, according to Gargan.

“He'll tack walk for two or three weeks and then we'll figure it out from there,” said Gargan. “We'll probably see him around the Fountain of Youth. The Withers is always something you could win real easy if you wanted to win a race, it just depends who's where.”

Of what he would like to see from the colt over the winter, Gargan said, “We need him to focus running. He kind of looks around playing a little bit, and that's why he hit the rail. He's got to grow up a lot, and he's still out there goofing off. He did dig in in this race in the end, but he kind of put himself in that situation running green early. I think if another horse is around him, he won't lose focus. What we'll probably do next time is bring him off the pace which he can do. He'll finish in the lane so he'll get a little more out of the race and mature a little bit from it.”

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The Week in Review: At Tampa Bay Downs, An Unlikely Win for the ‘Little Guy’

As the field turned for home in Saturday's Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs, Dreaming of Snow (Jess's Dream), trained by Gerald Bennett, had the lead, but it sure looked like she'd never hold on. It wasn't just that she was 38-1 and had been pressed most of the way, it was who was chasing her, monsters from the stables of super trainers Mark Casse and Todd Pletcher in Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) and Julia Shining (Curlin). Could a horse from the barn of a 78-year-old claiming trainer who had won all of two graded stakes in his career and none in 33 years, possibly pull this off?

She could and she did.

In what was arguably the biggest upset of the year in a major race, Dreaming of Snow, who was a tiring fourth in the seven-furlong Gasparilla S. in her previous start, defeated champion Eclipse Award winner Wonder Wheel by a neck in the Suncoast. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Julia Shining in third. In what has become more and more rare in this sport, a David beat not one, but two Goliaths.

“To win a race like this, that's what you dream of,” Bennett said.

Though Bennett, entering Sunday, had 4,090 winners, 14th best among all North American trainers, he has always operated well outside the spotlight. Born in Nova Scotia, he began training in his native Canada in 1976 and in 2021 became the winningest Canadian-born trainer of all time. He moved on to the now-defunct Michigan circuit, where he became a force at places like Detroit Race Course and Hazel Park and, later on, Great Lakes Downs. In the late eighties and in 1990, Bennett got a brief taste of what it was like to win at the highest level when he campaigned Beau Genius (Bold Ruckus), whose 13 career stakes wins included victories in the GI Philip H. Iselin H. and the GII Michigan Mile and One-Eighth H. He has not won a graded stakes since Beau Genius's win in the 1990 Iselin at Monmouth Park.

At an age when a lot of trainers would be slowing down, Bennett has been enjoying some of his best years. He is leading the current standings at Tampa Bay Downs, where he will be seeking his eighth straight training title. He has won 830 career races at Tampa, where, when it comes to the higher-class races, it's not unusual to see shippers from the top stables based at Gulfstream.

“Those guys ship in here all the time,” Bennett said. “You have to have a nice horse who can compete with them. It was a great thrill to do that, to beat those guys. The last time it happened for me was quite a few years ago, in 2002, in the Super S. Mark Casse had a horse named Exciting Story, who had just won the Met Mile. We beat him and set a track record. That was another great thrill.”

On paper, Dreaming of Snow didn't appear to have much of a chance. She had never run beyond seven furlongs or around two turns and she was coming off what looked like a lackluster effort in the Gasparilla. In Wonder Wheel and Julie Shining, she would be facing two of the best 3-year-old fillies in training. But Bennett was convinced she could win this race.

“When we ran her in seven-eighths race [the Gasparilla], she sat back and we tried to make a run with her,” he said. “The track here, they had a lot of rain and they hadn't bladed it for a while. The track got biased favoring the outside. The inside was extremely deep for a while and that's where she was in that race. Anybody who was down on the inside couldn't finish. She ran an even race last time. But we have been high on this filly from the start and always thought she'd be a nice horse. I thought she had a shot [in the Suncoast].”

Dreaming of Snow was purchased for $60,000 at the 2022 OBS March sale. It was more than Bennett usually pays.

“I go to the sale and buy these horses for $17,500, for $25,000,” he said. “We paid $60,000 for this one. I like going to the June sale in Ocala. It seems like you get more value there and don't have to overpay for them. If they run well and get a big number, usually I'll sell them.”

Some, no doubt, will consider the Suncoast result to be a fluke. Bennett doesn't see it that way. He believes that Dreaming of Snow is a legitimate contender for the GI Kentucky Oaks and is looking to run her next in the GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn Apr. 1.

“When she turned for home, she drew off a bit,” he said. “She's a fighter and she wouldn't let them pass her. Wonder Wheel was the class of the race and had all the hype. [Casse] had been preparing for this race for a while. He said she got tired, but the jockey was whipping on her well before the wire. You can't take anything away from our horse. She ran a monster race and she wasn't tired. In the winner's circle, she wouldn't have blown out a match.”

Asmussen Vs. Suarez

Steve Asmussen was bearing down on the 10,000-win milestone last week. Entering Sunday's races, he had 9,996 career wins, a remarkable total and one that will surely keep growing for many years to come as Asmussen is just 57. But he still has a way to go before he can be crowned as the winningest trainer in the history of the sport.

That title still belongs to Peruvian trainer Juan Suarez. As of Saturday, Suarez had 10,328 wins. However, Asmussen is gaining on him. Since Aug. 8, 2021, when Asmussen moved past Dale Baird to become the winningest trainer in the history of North American racing, Asmussen has had 440 winners while Suarez has had 332. While Asmussen is always active at several tracks in the U.S., Suarez's opportunities are limited since there is only one track in Peru, Hipodromo de Monterrico.

A Slow Race Or Not, Hit Show Impressed

The loaded Brad Cox-barn won another stakes race with a 3-year-old colt when Hit Show (Candy Rude {Arg}) captured Saturday's GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct. But what should we make of the time? He covered the mile-and-an-eighth in 1:54.71 and the final three furlongs were run in a leisurely :41.36.

That's not a reflection on Hit Show, but how slow the Aqueduct main track has been over the last few weeks. On the same card as the Withers, 3-year-old sprinters needed 1:13.09 to complete the Jimmy Winkfield S. On the day before the Withers, a mile-and-an-eighth race went in 1:59.04. Granted it was an $8,000 claiming race, but that very well could be the slowest time for the distance ever at a NYRA track.

Hit Show was given a 91 Beyer figure for his effort.

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Hit Show Exits Withers in Fine Shape

Gary and Mary West's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) exited his 5 1/2-length victory in Saturday's GIII Withers S. in fine shape, according to Brad Cox's Belmont-based assistant trainer Dustin Dugas.

“He looked good this morning,” Dugas said. “He cooled out well yesterday and came back in good shape. He was at the front of the stall, and bright eyed this morning. We're happy with him and he was happy with himself.”

Hit Show's potential next starts include the Apr. 8 GII Wood Memorial.

“He's always been a horse that we thought would be better with more ground, based off pedigree, how he runs and what he's shown us in his races,” Cox said. “I think we will obviously look at the Kentucky Derby and one race between now and then. What race that is, I don't know yet. It very well could be the Wood Memorial. He obviously likes the racetrack there and we'll see how things go.”

Another Triple Crown nominee based in New York for Cox is Gold Square's Slip Mahoney (Arrogate), who broke his maiden in his third start at Aqueduct Jan. 21. Before that maiden-breaking score, Slip Mahoney was beaten just a neck when second behind subsequent 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit) last December. He was fourth behind Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. winner Litigate (Blame) in his November debut.

The gray colt is now being pointed towards the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S.

“He ran against some really good horses in his last two races,” Cox said. “He held his own and he's a nice colt. He's marching towards the Gotham. That's where he'll start next, and we're excited about him. He showed some heart and determination in his last two and I think he's one that will get better with doing it in the afternoon. He's been a little tough to get to the races, but once he got there, he's shown up and run every time.”

Slip Mahoney breezed a half-mile in :49.77 (39/87) over the Belmont training track Saturday.

“He came back great. He looked good yesterday,” said Dugas. “He's another one who ate up everything last night and was ready to go this morning. Dylan [Davis] was on him yesterday and he was happy with it, too.”

Slip Mahoney is out of Grade I winner Got Lucky (A.P. Indy) and his third dam is the blue hen mare Get Lucky (Mr. Prospector).

Drew's Gold (Violence) will target the Apr. 8 GIII Bay Shore S. following his win in Saturday's Jimmy Winkfield S. at Aqueduct.

Of the decision to aim for the seven-furlong Bay Shore rather than the one-mile Gotham, which will offer Kentucky Derby points, co-owner and trainer James Chapman explained, “I'd rather just keep taking it step-by-step with him and run him in the seven-eighths race. He's doing super. He came out of the race like he didn't even run.”

Drew's Gold, who is co-owned with Stuart Tsujimoto, is unbeaten in three lifetime starts. The six-furlong Jimmy Winkfield was his longest effort to date.

“Who knows until you run around two turns, but it doesn't seem like the distance has affected him. The further that he goes, he just wins by more,” Chapman said.

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