It seems fitting that a couple of New York-bred colts would be favored in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct – especially when they have a combined record of 7-for-7 with their four stakes wins coming at the New York City track.
Sacrosanct, owned by Lady Sheila Stable, Net Birdie and Schwing Thoroughbreds, and Chester Broman’s homebred Sand Devil, head a field of 10 sophomores in the one-mile, one-turn race, which offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis to the top five finishers.
Sacrosanct. NYRA/Coglianese Photo.
New York-Breds Stand out in Talented Derby prep at Aqueduct
Trained by Brad Cox, Sacrosanct will be making his first start as a 3-year-old and his first start in open company in the Gotham Stakes. Last time out, he took the seven-furlong NYSSS Great White Way by a head over the closing National Identity, the closest winning margin of his career. Prior to that he won the Bertram F. Bongard and the Sleepy Hollow for state-breds at the Big A.
Like so many successful horses have before him, the bay son of Into Mischief broke his maiden at first asking at Saratoga, winning by 3 ½ lengths as the 8-5 favorite.
Cox will also saddle Flood Zone, who broke his maiden on Jan. 4 at Gulfstream Park and was subsequently purchased by Wathnan Racing.
Coming into the race with a perfect record as well is Sand Devil, who rallied in the stretch to defeat the aforementioned National Identity and win the seven-furlong Damon Runyon on Feb. 8.
“He’s doing good. We will see what the race shapes up like,” said trainer Linda Rice of Sand Devil, who, like Sacrosanct, is making his debut in open company. “I think he is fine at the mile. He has run well at a mile already. It might actually be better for him than the seven furlongs.”
Sand Devil beat fellow state-breds by 12½ lengths going a mile in an optional claimer on Jan. 2, having broken his maiden going six furlongs in December.
Also lining up is the well-traveled Normandy Coast, who ships in off an optional claiming win on Jan. 11 at the Fair Grounds. Prior to that, he graduated in a seven-furlong event at Ellis Park after having come in fourth in his debut at Churchill Downs in June for trainer Eddie Kenneally.
The Canadian-bred Scorching comes in with a pair of black-type victories as a 2-year-old, having taken the Simcoe in August whilst racing as a maiden and then being moved up to first in the Cup and Saucer at 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine turf last out on Oct. 6.
My Mitole, who has made all four starts at the Big A, broke his maiden at third asking on Nov. 11 and opened his 3-year-old campaign with a 1-mile starter allowance victory on Valentine’s Day.
Completing the field are the Chad Brown-trained Garamond, Mike Maker’s Calling Card, the Paolo Lobo-trained Pagode and McAfee, a half-brother to 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna who is 2-1-1-0 at Churchill Downs for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr.
Post time is 4:18 p.m. ET.
For those who bet horse racing …
The picks: 1 McAfee 2 Sacrosanct 3 Sand Devil
The field for the $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Scorching (Eric Cancel, John Charalambous), 10-1
2 Normandy Coast (Ben Curtis, Eddie Kenneally, 15-1
3 Calling Card (Kendrick Carmouche, Mike Maker), 6-1
4 Sacrosanct (Manny Franco, Brad Cox), 3-1
5 Sand Devil (Jose Lezcano, Linda Rice), 9-5
6 Pagode (Luan Machado, Paulo Lobo), 30-1
7 Flood Zone (Reylou Gutierrez, Brad Cox), 12-1
8 McAfee (Lane Luzzi, Rick Dutrow, Jr.), 10-1
9 Garamond (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown), 8-1
10 My Mitole (Luis Rivera, Jr., Carlos Martin), 15-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
