Brown pleased with Withers winner Early Voting's progress

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On paper and on the track, things have gone pretty well for Early Voting since his victory in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes six weeks ago.

Two horses Early Voting defeated in the Withers – Un Ojo and Grantham – have come back to run career-best races in their next starts, with Un Ojo winning the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park. Those factors recently led to Early Voting’s Beyer Speed Figure being elevated from 78 to 87.

Meanwhile, Early Voting continues to train well toward a scheduled start in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 9. On Friday, over the Belmont Park training track, Early Voting worked a solid half-mile in 48.84 seconds, getting his last quarter in 23.67 seconds. He worked in company with Risk Taking, the 2021 Withers Stakes winner. The pair galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.84 and six furlongs in 1:14.79.

Friday’s work, his fifth since the Withers, was the second straight week that Early Voting was sharp and galloped out well. Trainer Chad Brown had briefly considered running Early Voting in the Gotham on March 5, but opted to just wait for the Wood to keep him at nine furlongs.

“I think I’m happy with the decision to wait and keep him two turns,” Brown said recently. “The time between races is really benefiting him.”

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Early Voting will be part of a Wood field that, with a week to go before nominations close, is starting to shape up. Others mentioned as probable or possible for the Wood at this point include Remsen winner Mo Donegal; undefeated Gotham winner Morello; undefeated Gander winner Barese; Gotham third-place finisher Golden Code; High Oak and South Street, both trained by Bill Mott; and A. P.’s Secret and Skippylongstocking, both trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.

On Friday, Golden Code worked a half-mile in company with Dean’s List in 49.98 seconds. Dean’s List, second in the Gotham, is likely to shorten up to seven furlongs, perhaps in the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore on the Wood undercard.