Gotham field in flux a week out

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The field for next Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes remained a work in progress a week out, with only four horses considered definite and a few other fringe players under consideration.

The Gotham lost one expected starter on Friday when trainer Wesley Ward said One Fast Cat, a debut winner at Turfway Park on Feb. 4, would not make the race. Though One Fast Cat worked five furlongs in 1:02.60 at Keeneland on Friday, Ward said the horse missed too much training and will now be pointed to the Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct on April 3.

As of Friday, the four considered definite for the Gotham are Freedom Fighter, the runner-up in the Grade 2 San Vicente; Highly Motivated, winner of the Nyquist Stakes last November at Keeneland; Capo Kane, winner of the Jerome Stakes and third in the Withers; and Wipe the Slate, a maiden winner who finished last in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis at Santa Anita.

The Gotham winner earns 50 points toward the May 1 Kentucky Derby, effectively making it a win and you’re in race.

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Among those considered possible are Smiley Sobotka, runner-up to Keepemeinmind in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Smiley Sobotka most recently finished ninth in the Sam. F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. Trainer Dale Romans said Smiley Sobotka “hated the track at Tampa.”

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said he would breeze Awesome Gerry and Irish Honor on Sunday at Gulfstream Park and make a decision if either would run.

The only locally based runner under consideration for the Gotham is Weyburn, a maiden winner last Dec. 5 who missed the Jerome due to illness and was scratched out of the Jimmy Winkfield on Jan. 31 due to a foot bruise.

On Thursday, Weyburn worked five furlongs in 1:00.17 over the Belmont Park training track. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.67.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Friday that he is considering the Gotham or a first-level allowance that is scheduled on the same card for Weyburn.

Jerkens is also trying to decide whether to run Mo Desserts, a 15 1/2-length maiden winner on Feb 8, in the $250,000 Busher Invitational on March 6 or an allowance the previous day. On Friday at Belmont, Mo Desserts worked five furlongs in 1:02.31 over the training track.