El Kabeir needs to make amends in Gotham
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – El Kabeir appears to hold the same seasoning and class advantages entering Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct as he did entering last month’s Grade 3 Withers Stakes.
He lost the Withers as the 1-2 favorite.
If El Kabeir is to be considered a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender, he will have to bounce back from that loss when he faces nine mostly new faces in the Gotham, which like the Withers is run at 1 1/16 miles over the inner track.
The Gotham will be the ninth of 10 races on a Saturday card that begins at 12:50 p.m. Eastern, 30 minutes earlier than usual. With the cancellation of live racing at Aqueduct Thursday and Friday, Saturday’s card will include a pick-six carryover of $148,147 that begins on race 5 (2:50 p.m.). The Gotham is the penultimate leg of the wager, which includes four New York-bred races and ends with a $25,000 claimer.
El Kabeir is 3 for 7, with two graded stakes wins and earnings of $438,892. None of his Gotham opponents has won a stakes, and their combined purse earnings are $442,660.
El Kabeir may have gotten too involved too soon in the Withers pace, engaging Classy Class after a relatively soft opening quarter. El Kabeir and Classy Class – who is back in this field – dueled alongside each other until deep stretch, where Far From Over, who had stumbled at the start, rallied past them. El Kabeir edged away from Classy Class to get second.
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In his two works leading up to this, El Kabeir started well behind a workmate and then went past.
“The horse is set up mentally, and the way he’s training now gives us the luxury to do what needs to be done as the trips unfolds,” trainer John Terranova said. “He seems to us to be getting better and stronger. We’re hopeful.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher is keeping Far From Over in south Florida but sends out a trio of horses in the Gotham: Blame Jim, Dontbetwithbruno, and Uninfluenced. Trainer Chad Brown sends debut winner Lieutenant Colonel.
Combat Diver, a rallying second in the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel, and Tencendur, fourth in the Withers, are others in the field with stakes experience.
The top four finishers in the Gotham earn qualifying points on a 50-20-10-5 basis toward the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
KEY CONTENDERS
El Kabeir (Last 3 Beyers: 94-95-94)
◗ Though he lost the Withers, Terranova didn’t see the race as a step backward.
“On numbers, he’s been within a [Beyer] point his last three races in a row, so in that respect, there was no regression,” Terranova said. “He ran his top [Ragozin] sheet number – not a huge jump forward but steady.”
◗ As the 123-pound highweight, El Kabeir will spot seven pounds to his nine rivals.
Classy Class (Last 3 Beyers: 91-75-88)
◗ Coming off a 10-week layoff, Classy Class may have been a bit fresh when he set the pace after breaking from the rail in the Withers. He was beaten only a length by El Kabeir for second.
◗ Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he would prefer a different trip Saturday after breaking from post 3.
“I wouldn’t mind if we’re following one or two,” McLaughlin said.
Lieutenant Colonel (Beyer: 87)
◗ He withstood early pace pressure before opening up and holding off a more seasoned opponent to win his only start by a head going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream on Feb. 7.
◗ Brown has expressed satisfaction with the colt’s two breezes since then and believes he should handle the two turns and 1 1/16-miles of the Gotham.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Lieutenant Colonel. Trainer Chad Brown is 37-12-10-2 with a $2.84 ROI over the past three years in dirt routes with last-out maiden winners. Click for more details. – Dan Illman
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Tencendur (Last 3 Beyers: 89-75-68)
◗ He was a bit wide and didn’t change leads until the late stages of the Withers, where he was beaten only four lengths by Far From Over.
◗ He will get blinkers for the first time and has worked two bullets in blinkers leading up to this.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1X Blame Jim. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 18-6-2-2 with a $6.10 ROI over the past four years going sprint to route on dirt in graded stakes in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Dan Illman