Joey Freshwater takes aim at Dwyer

Joey Freshwater likely won’t be favored, but he’ll be the only stakes winner in a field of six entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds scheduled for one mile.

Claimed for $50,000 on Nov. 27 by trainer Linda Rice, Joey Freshwater this year won the Grade 3 Bay Shore on April 8 at Aqueduct. After a third to Drew’s Gold in the Gold Fever, Joey Freshwater ran in the Paradise Creek on turf where he finished a well-beaten fifth.

Rice had considered running Joey Freshwater in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes, but ultimately felt the race was coming up too strong.

“We’ll see if he can get the mile,” Rice said. “It’ll be a tough race, but we’ll give it a try.”

Joey Freshwater, who will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, will face Fort Bragg, runner-up in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile and scratched from the Woody Stephens due to illness; Saudi Crown, who is 2 for 2 for Brad Cox; Harrodsburg, also scratched from the Woody Stephens; Alternate Reality, a recent allowance winner; and Prove Right, fourth in the Grade 3 Chick Lang last out.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.