A11 - Gotham Stakes
By Anthony Stabile
Anthony's Eleven (3/4/16)
Rank Horse Jockey Trainer Next Race Derby Points
1 Songbird Mike Smith Jerry Hollendorfer Santa Ysabel (3/5 at SA) 0 pts
2 Mohaymen Junior Alvarado Kiaran McLaughlin Florida Derby (4/2 at GP) 20 pts
3 Greenpointcrusader John Velazquez Dom Schettino (Undecided) 14 pts
4 Gun Runner Florent Geroux Steve Asmussen Louisiana Derby (3/26 at FG) 51 pts
5 Zulu John Velazquez Todd Pletcher Florida Derby (4/2 at GP) 0 pts
6 Nyquist Mario Gutierrez Doug O'Neill Florida Derby (4/2 at GP) 30 pts
7 Mo Tom Corie Lanerie Tom Amoss Louisiana Derby (3/26 at FG) 22 pts
8 Whitmore Irad Ortiz, Jr. Ron Moquett Rebel (3/19 at OP) 4 pts
9 Exaggerator Kent Desormeaux Keith Desormeaux San Felipe (3/12 at SA) 16 pts
10 Economic Model Irad Ortiz, Jr. Chad Brown Tampa Bay Derby (3/12 at TB) 0 pts
11 Shagaf Irad Ortiz, Jr. Chad Brown Gotham (3/5 at AQU) 0 pts
50 Kentucky Derby points are on the line in the Big Apple this Saturday as eight three-year-olds will go a mile and a sixteenth in the G3 Gotham over the inner track at Aqueduct.
Sunny Ridge is no stranger to success at the Big A having already won the G3 Withers this winter in his last start for trainer Jason Servis. Forwardly placed throughout the Withers, his first start in two months after missing by just a neck in the G3 Delta Jackpot, Sunny Ridge duked it out with pacesetter Vorticity through the stretch before edging away to win by three quarters of a length.
Overall, Sunny Ridge has won half of his six starts and finished second to Greenpointcrusader in the Champagne over a sloppy track at Belmont last fall. Manny Franco, his pilot in the Withers, returns from post 7.
The one who figures to vie for favoritism with Sunny Ridge, the most seasoned runner in this field, is the lightly raced Shagaf, who has been flawless in his two starts for trainer Chad Brown.
Shagaf dazzled in his debut over the main track at Aqueduct going a mile, demolishing a field of nine others by six lengths towards the end of November. After a two month plus layoff, Shagaf came back to dominate an allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream, making the lead as he pleased off of a wide trip to win, geared down, by two lengths. Irad Ortiz, Jr. takes his usual seat aboard from post 2 in his two turn and stakes debut.
Todd Pletcher sends out the pair of Rally Cry and Mo Power in the Gotham. Rally cry disappointed as the 3-10 favorite in his debut on the main track at Aqueduct before stretching out to break his maiden impressively going a flat mile.
Last out, Rally Cry was third behind Shagaf but had a very eventful trip, steadying while rallying along the inside going down the backstretch then spinning out five wide on the turn before grabbing the show dough. Though Javier Castellano didn’t give him the best ride through the first half mile, he seemed to teach Rally Cry through the second half mile and he should move forward off of that effort. Junior Alvarado rides for the first time from post 8.
Mo Power fell a neck short in his debut in a sprint as the 8-5 favorite at Gulfstream when he was left with a little too much to do after a wide trip but came back to break his maiden going a mile in his most recent outing. Regular rider John Velazquez is back from post 5.
Conquest Big E ships in from Florida for Mark Casse off of a fourth place finish in the G2 Holy Bull behind pro-tem division leader Mohaymen. He’s won two of his five starts, both on sloppy tracks, making him winless on fast ground. One of Aqueduct’s leading riders Jose Ortiz rides for the first time from post 6.
Adventist broke his maiden at first asking in a sprint by over 11 lengths two starts back before stretching out and trying graded stakes foes for the first time in the Withers. He raced a bit greenly in the Withers under Kendrick Carmouche, who returns here from post 3 for trainer Leah Gyarmati. He’ll need to get his act together quickly if he wants to stay on the Trail.
Vincento tries open company for the first time for trainer Rudy Rodriguez from post 4 with Angel Arroyo aboard. Vincento broke his maiden at first asking and won an entry level allowance contest two back when adding blinkers before failing to fire when wheeled back in a week for a New York bred stakes.
The maiden Laoban rounds out the field from the rail for trainer Eric Guillot. Laoban finished second two starts back when adding blinkers at Los Alamitos in a maiden special weight event before a third place finish in the G3 Sham at Santa Anita. Aaron Gryder rides.
Finally, a few words about Songbird, who’ll take on nine other fillies in the G3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita on Saturday. Her owner, as well as her trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, have said repeatedly that because she is a late foal she will not tackle the boys in the Derby and instead be pointed towards the Oaks.
Songbird’s presence in this race leads me to believe that they may be wavering a bit. You would think she’d need just two starts before the Oaks yet she is now on target for three. I’m hoping they’re looking to shore up a spot in the Oaks with a win here before taking on bigger game, namely the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9th. She’ll break from post 6 under regular rider Mike Smith.
Prep Play of the Day
Let’s keep it simple and play $50 to win on Shagaf. Good luck!!!!
Bankroll: 59
By Anthony Stabile
Anthony's Eleven (3/4/16)
Rank Horse Jockey Trainer Next Race Derby Points
1 Songbird Mike Smith Jerry Hollendorfer Santa Ysabel (3/5 at SA) 0 pts
2 Mohaymen Junior Alvarado Kiaran McLaughlin Florida Derby (4/2 at GP) 20 pts
3 Greenpointcrusader John Velazquez Dom Schettino (Undecided) 14 pts
4 Gun Runner Florent Geroux Steve Asmussen Louisiana Derby (3/26 at FG) 51 pts
5 Zulu John Velazquez Todd Pletcher Florida Derby (4/2 at GP) 0 pts
6 Nyquist Mario Gutierrez Doug O'Neill Florida Derby (4/2 at GP) 30 pts
7 Mo Tom Corie Lanerie Tom Amoss Louisiana Derby (3/26 at FG) 22 pts
8 Whitmore Irad Ortiz, Jr. Ron Moquett Rebel (3/19 at OP) 4 pts
9 Exaggerator Kent Desormeaux Keith Desormeaux San Felipe (3/12 at SA) 16 pts
10 Economic Model Irad Ortiz, Jr. Chad Brown Tampa Bay Derby (3/12 at TB) 0 pts
11 Shagaf Irad Ortiz, Jr. Chad Brown Gotham (3/5 at AQU) 0 pts
50 Kentucky Derby points are on the line in the Big Apple this Saturday as eight three-year-olds will go a mile and a sixteenth in the G3 Gotham over the inner track at Aqueduct.
Sunny Ridge is no stranger to success at the Big A having already won the G3 Withers this winter in his last start for trainer Jason Servis. Forwardly placed throughout the Withers, his first start in two months after missing by just a neck in the G3 Delta Jackpot, Sunny Ridge duked it out with pacesetter Vorticity through the stretch before edging away to win by three quarters of a length.
Overall, Sunny Ridge has won half of his six starts and finished second to Greenpointcrusader in the Champagne over a sloppy track at Belmont last fall. Manny Franco, his pilot in the Withers, returns from post 7.
The one who figures to vie for favoritism with Sunny Ridge, the most seasoned runner in this field, is the lightly raced Shagaf, who has been flawless in his two starts for trainer Chad Brown.
Shagaf dazzled in his debut over the main track at Aqueduct going a mile, demolishing a field of nine others by six lengths towards the end of November. After a two month plus layoff, Shagaf came back to dominate an allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream, making the lead as he pleased off of a wide trip to win, geared down, by two lengths. Irad Ortiz, Jr. takes his usual seat aboard from post 2 in his two turn and stakes debut.
Todd Pletcher sends out the pair of Rally Cry and Mo Power in the Gotham. Rally cry disappointed as the 3-10 favorite in his debut on the main track at Aqueduct before stretching out to break his maiden impressively going a flat mile.
Last out, Rally Cry was third behind Shagaf but had a very eventful trip, steadying while rallying along the inside going down the backstretch then spinning out five wide on the turn before grabbing the show dough. Though Javier Castellano didn’t give him the best ride through the first half mile, he seemed to teach Rally Cry through the second half mile and he should move forward off of that effort. Junior Alvarado rides for the first time from post 8.
Mo Power fell a neck short in his debut in a sprint as the 8-5 favorite at Gulfstream when he was left with a little too much to do after a wide trip but came back to break his maiden going a mile in his most recent outing. Regular rider John Velazquez is back from post 5.
Conquest Big E ships in from Florida for Mark Casse off of a fourth place finish in the G2 Holy Bull behind pro-tem division leader Mohaymen. He’s won two of his five starts, both on sloppy tracks, making him winless on fast ground. One of Aqueduct’s leading riders Jose Ortiz rides for the first time from post 6.
Adventist broke his maiden at first asking in a sprint by over 11 lengths two starts back before stretching out and trying graded stakes foes for the first time in the Withers. He raced a bit greenly in the Withers under Kendrick Carmouche, who returns here from post 3 for trainer Leah Gyarmati. He’ll need to get his act together quickly if he wants to stay on the Trail.
Vincento tries open company for the first time for trainer Rudy Rodriguez from post 4 with Angel Arroyo aboard. Vincento broke his maiden at first asking and won an entry level allowance contest two back when adding blinkers before failing to fire when wheeled back in a week for a New York bred stakes.
The maiden Laoban rounds out the field from the rail for trainer Eric Guillot. Laoban finished second two starts back when adding blinkers at Los Alamitos in a maiden special weight event before a third place finish in the G3 Sham at Santa Anita. Aaron Gryder rides.
Finally, a few words about Songbird, who’ll take on nine other fillies in the G3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita on Saturday. Her owner, as well as her trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, have said repeatedly that because she is a late foal she will not tackle the boys in the Derby and instead be pointed towards the Oaks.
Songbird’s presence in this race leads me to believe that they may be wavering a bit. You would think she’d need just two starts before the Oaks yet she is now on target for three. I’m hoping they’re looking to shore up a spot in the Oaks with a win here before taking on bigger game, namely the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9th. She’ll break from post 6 under regular rider Mike Smith.
Prep Play of the Day
Let’s keep it simple and play $50 to win on Shagaf. Good luck!!!!
Bankroll: 59
