OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Eyeing Clover and Slip Mahoney won’t be mentioned on many people’s top 20 lists for the Kentucky Derby. Heck, either would have a difficult time cracking the top 10 of 3-year-olds in the barn of their trainer, Brad Cox. But as far as Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes is concerned, Eyeing Clover and Slip Mahoney have to be considered two of the top contenders in a seemingly wide-open renewal of the one-mile stakes at Aqueduct. A whopping 15 3-year-olds were entered for the Gotham, though only 14 will be permitted to start. A few are cross-entered in other spots. While the Gotham does spread 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to its top five finishers (50-20-15-10-5), it has hardly been a harbinger of Derby success. Since 1980, Gotham starters are 0 for 47 in the Derby. As an individual betting race, however, the Gotham is superb. Two Mid-Atlantic based runners – Recruiter and Howgreatisnate – are each 4 for 4. Two Southern California horses, formerly with Bob Baffert, are entered with new trainers. Kentucky-based Lugan Knight seeks a second straight New York stakes success after winning the Jerome here Jan. 7. There appears to be ample speed in the Gotham, though Eyeing Clover may be the fastest of the group. In his Dec. 31 debut, he emerged from a four-horse scrum at Oaklawn Park to take early command, then put away the pace-prompting Easy Action to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Eyeing Clover went to Fair Grounds, where on Jan. 28 he again flaunted his early foot to win by 9 3/4 lengths. :: Bet the races on DRF Bets! Sign up with code WINNING to get a $250 Deposit Match, $10 Free Bet, and FREE DRF Formulator.  In both races, at six furlongs, Eyeing Clover galloped out very well. Cox believes the one-turn mile is well within Eyeing Clover’s scope. “I think he should be able to handle it based off of pedigree, physically, and how he’s been working,” Cox said. “He does wear blinkers, we don’t want to change anything. I think he’ll be forwardly placed. His last few works at Fair Grounds have been very, very good.” Eyeing Clover, the tepid 4-1 favorite on David Aragona’s line, drew post 13 and will be ridden by Florent Geroux. Slip Mahoney, the 5-1 second choice on the morning line, has kept good company. In his debut, he was beaten by Litigate, a horse who has since come back to win the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis. In his second start, Slip Mahoney was beaten a nose by Tapit Trice, who came back to win an allowance impressively at Gulfstream Park. Slip Mahoney finally broke through with a gritty nose victory over Crupi going a mile here, those two finishing 15 lengths clear of the third-place finisher. “I think he’s a nice horse, he’s coming along mentally, he’s developing and getting better,” Cox said. “First time facing winners in a stakes, there’s not a lot of options. This is a step up, but he’s had plenty of time to recover from his maiden win. We’ll see how it works out.” Trevor McCarthy rides Slip Mahoney, who drew post 11. Dylan Davis, who rode Slip Mahoney in his first three starts, rides Lugan Knight, whom he rode to victory in the Jerome. Lugan Knight won the Jerome on the lead and his trainer, Michael McCarthy, expects him to be a forward factor again Saturday from post 10. “Obviously, we’re planning to break well and find ourselves prominently placed throughout,” McCarthy said. “If we are on the lead then so be it, if we’re just off of it, that’ll be fine too.” Carmel Road, transferred to Tim Yakteen after Baffert’s bid to reverse his Kentucky Derby ban by Churchill Downs was denied, brings some California speed to the Gotham. He is coming off a runner-up finish behind Practical Move in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. :: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures “I probably thought it was a nice performance without being an outstanding effort,” said Tom Ryan, racing manager for SF Racing, which heads a multi-member ownership group of Carmel Road and Fort Warren. “I do feel he’s really moved forward from that run. I feel his last two works have been better than anything he’s shown us before.” Fort Warren, formerly trained by Baffert, was shipped to Brittany Russell in Maryland shortly after his third-place finish in the Grade 2 San Vicente on Jan. 29. Ryan said a poor break led to a disappointing finish. Though cross-entered in Monday’s $75,000 City of Brotherly Love Stakes at Parx Racing, Fort Warren was expected to run in the Gotham, per Ryan. Raise Cain, second in the Gun Runner Stakes; Transect, 2 for 2 over Turfway Park’s synthetic surface; Clubhouse, runner-up in the Jimmy Winkfield; General Banker, third in the Jerome and Withers; debut winners Uncorrelated and Mr. Swagger; and Turfway maiden winner Clear the Air complete the Gotham field. Radio Red, a New York-bred maiden winner, is on the also-eligible list. The Gotham goes as race 9 on a 10-race card that begins at 12:50 p.m. and includes the $200,000 Busher for 3-year-old fillies and the Grade 3, $150,000 Tom Fool for male sprinters. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.