2020 Gotham Stakes
A talented field of 11 sophomores will travel one-mile in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct. The 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest offers points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the top-four finishers.
Recent maiden winner War Stopper has shown marked improvement since switching to the dirt, and he moved up in a big way when adding blinkers last time out. The Rudy Rodriguez trainee is improving at the right time of the year, and he is the Expert Pick of the Week.
The Salerno Stables and Madaket Stables’ color bearer didn’t show much potential in his first pair of lifetime outings, both of which came on the lawn. The Declaration of War colt made his dirt debut on this oval in December and finished evenly in fifth after a poor break. He was flattered by the third-place finisher, Modernist, who has won two races in succession since including a division of the Risen Star (G2).
War Stopper was equipped with blinkers for the initial time in a maiden special weight race at Aqueduct on January 11, and the move paid instant dividends. The Kentucky-bred broke best and never looked back in posting a wire-to-wire victory under Jorge Vargas, Jr., who returns to the silks on Saturday.
The Gotham Stakes (G3) is the third of four 2020 Kentucky Derby Qualifying events for 3-year-olds in New York. The one-turn mile event at Aqueduct offers a points scale of 50-20-10-5. Only two colts since 2011 have finished in the top three in the Gotham and one of the Triple Crown contests.
Purchased for $75,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, War Stopper hails from the same female line as champion Stellar Wind and Grade-1 victor Mor Spirit. The chestnut has four route races under his belt, and the sophomore comes in fresh with five solid morning drills in advance of his stakes debut.
While the top pick led at every call in his maiden score, he is likely to take back off the pace in the Gotham when facing a bevy of early speed contenders. War Stopper will save ground along the rail and commence his run approaching the turn for home at a big price.
2021 Gotham Stakes – March 6th, 2021, 5:07 ET – Aqueduct – Purse $300,000. For Three Year Olds. By subscription of $300 each which should accompany the nominations; $1,500 to pass the entry box and read more One Mile. Similarly, horses to have won both include Dr. Fager (1967) and Secretariat (1973). Hall of Famer Native Dancer won the initial Gotham Stakes in 1953 and would go on to win the Preakness and Belmont Stakes later that year. The Gotham Stakes was run in two divisions in 1953, 1974, 1975 and 1983 so the race has two winners from each of those years.
War Stopper upsetting the Gotham is the Best Bet of the Week
Note that Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is also available this weekend.
Gotham S. (G3) – Race 9 (5:07 p.m. ET)
A smashing winner of the Nyquist S. on the Breeders’ Cup Friday undercard, Highly Motivated will seek to join the Kentucky Derby trail when opening his three-year-old campaign in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham S. (G3) at Aqueduct.
The Chad Brown-trained colt tops a field of eight, and the one-turn mile qualifier will award 85 points (50-20-10-5 scale) as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series.
Highly Motivated broke his maiden the second time out at Belmont Park in late September, and the Into Mischief colt registered a field-best 102 Brisnet Speed rating when capturing the 6 1/2-furlong Nyquist from just off the pace. The stalker retains the services of Javier Castellano.
Freedom Fighter invades for Bob Baffert following a half-length second to well-regarded stablemate Concert Tour in the Feb. 6 San Vicente S. (G2) at Santa Anita. The front-running son of Violence shows fast series of workouts in preparation, and Manny Franco picks up the mount.
Wipe the Slate, a sharp maiden winner sprinting at Santa Anita, will turn back to a one-turn trip following a last in the 1 1/16-mile Robert B. Lewis S. (G3). Kendrick Carmouche will guide for Doug O’Neill. Capo Kane, a wire-to-wire winner of the mile Jerome S. and third most recently in the 1 1/8-mile Withers S. (G3) at Aqueduct, also figures to appreciate the cutback in distance. Dylan Davis rides the California-bred colt.
Crowded Trade, who graduated at first asking over the track as the even-money favorite on Jan. 28, will try stakes foes for Brown. He’ll be joined by last-out maiden winners Atlantic Road, The Reds, and Weyburn.
2020 Gotham Stakes Replay
Busher Invitational S. – Race 6 (3:29 p.m.)
After a one-length decision in the Jan. 24 Busher S., The Grass Is Blue will seek her second consecutive Kentucky Oaks qualifier at Aqueduct in the $250,000 Busher Invitational S. The Brown-trained Broken Vow filly will face five rivals over a mile distance with Franco.
Gotham Stakes 2020 Cheat Sheet
Stablemate Search Results merits respect following a four-length debut maiden win at Gulfstream on Jan. 3. Castellano takes over the reins. Miss Brazil enters on the upswing for Tony Dutrow, romping wire-to-wire by 6 1/4 lengths in the Feb. 6 Ruthless S. at Aqueduct. Eric Cancel rides the expected pacesetter.
2020 Gotham Stakes Entries
Mo Desserts can’t be dismissed after scoring by 15 lengths over maiden special weight opponents at Aqueduct on Feb. 8. New York-bred stakes winners Laobanonaprayer and Make Mischief complete the field.