Illness forces Arctic Arrogance out of Gotham

Arctic Arrogance, who accrued 16 Kentucky Derby points by running second in the Grade 2 Remsen, Jerome and Grade 3 Withers, will miss Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes due to illness.

Owner Chester Broman said he was informed that there is an illness going through the barn that Arctic Arrogance is stabled in on the Belmont Park backstretch. Arctic Arrogance is trained by Linda Rice, but she was on 10-day suspension through Wednesday and could not be at the barn. Her nephew Adam Rice has been overseeing the stable.

“I don’t think it’s serious,” Broman said of Arctic Arrogance’s illness.

It is uncertain if Arctic Arrogance would point to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 8.

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Despite the defection of Arctic Arrogance, the Gotham drew 15 3-year-olds when entries closed on Wednesday afternoon. The race is limited to 14 starters. The New York-bred maiden winner Radio Red would be carded as the also-eligible, due to having the lowest earnings of the entrants.

Defining a favorite won’t be easy. Among those likely to vie for favoritism are Carmel Road, coming off a second-place finish to Practical Move in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity; Lugan Knight, winner of the Jerome; and Slip Mahoney, winner of a maiden race at Aqueduct.

The field also includes undefeated Mid-Atlantic stakes winners Howgreatisnate and Recruiter. Neither has been nominated to the Triple Crown.

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