Flexibility headed right way for Withers

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Flexibility, winner of the Grade 3 Jerome Stakes on Jan. 2, tuned up for an expected start in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes by working a half-mile in 48.14 seconds over the Belmont Park training track Friday morning. The Withers will be run Jan. 30 at Aqueduct.

The work was done in company with Building Permit and equaled the fastest of 157 workouts at the distance on an extremely busy morning. Many horsemen moved up scheduled Saturday workouts to Friday due to forecasted overnight rain.

Flexibility started his work just off the flank of Building Permit and quickly was on even terms through an opening quarter in 23.89 seconds. With Cherie DeVaux – the Belmont Park-based assistant to Chad Brown – instructing the exercise riders to stay together through the stretch, Flexibility came home in 24.25 and then proceeded to gallop out five furlongs in 1:01.93.

“Definitely one of his better breezes,” DeVaux said afterward. “He’s always been pretty straightforward, but he’s definitely put things together.”

Flexibility, a New York-bred son of Bluegrass Cat, won his maiden at first asking against statebreds before twice finishing second to the undefeated Mohaymen in graded stakes. Flexibility dominated the Jerome by 4 1/4 lengths.

One of Flexibility’s expected challengers in the Withers, Adventist, breezed seven furlongs over the Belmont training track in 1:30.88 with a final quarter of 24.80. Adventist, a son of Quality Road, will enter the Withers with just a debut win going six furlongs under his belt.

“Both times I worked him long now, he’s done it the right way,” trainer Leah Gyarmati said.

In Equality, third in the Jerome and a candidate for the Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 20, worked three furlongs in 37.86 seconds for Gyarmati.