Large Gotham field to include late-developing Attachment Rate

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While the last-place finish by Dennis’ Moment in Saturday’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park may have dealt a setback to Dale Romans in his bid to get to the Kentucky Derby, the trainer will jump right back in the Triple Crown fray when he ships up Attachment Rate for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

Unlike Dennis’ Moment, who has been hyped since last summer, Attachment Rate has flown under the radar. Attachment Rate, a son of Hard Spun, finished 11th of 12 in his debut last June at Churchill Downs. Looking to take advantage of his Virginia-bred status, Romans was going to run Attachment Rate at Colonial Downs in August. On the day of entries, Attachment Rate had filling in an ankle and was put away for the remainder of the year.

Attachment Rate made his 3-year-old debut on the Jan. 25 Pegasus undercard at Gulfstream Park. Despite being carried out very wide in the stretch and not changing to his correct lead, he was beaten just three-quarters of a length when second to Market Analysis.

Attachment Rate came back Feb. 15 in a driving rainstorm and drew away from Rag Tag, who was with him turning for home, to win by 6 1/4 lengths over an extremely sloppy surface. He again had difficulty changing to his correct lead.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Marty McGee

His maiden win, like the Gotham, was at a one-turn mile.

“I’ve always thought he was a top horse,” said Romans, who trains Attachment Rate for Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister. “I think the further he goes the better he’ll be.”

Luis Saez, fresh off his victory aboard Maximum Security in the $20 million Saudi Cup last Saturday, will be in town to ride Attachment Rate.

Romans is no stranger to the Gotham, having sent runners here in four of the previous eight runnings. J Boys Echo won the Gotham in 2017 while Free Drop Billy finished third in 2018.

The top four finishers from the Gotham earn qualifying points (50-20-10-5) to the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

Attachment Rate is scheduled to ship to New York by plane on Wednesday on a fight that will originate in Southern California and include stops in Louisiana and Palm Beach, Fla., before coming to New York.

Also expected on that flight are likely Gotham favorite Mischevious Alex, seven-length winner of the Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream; Necker Island, fifth in the Swale; and Untitled, second in an allowance race at Tampa.

Entries for the Gotham and three other stakes scheduled for a 10-race Saturday card will be drawn Wednesday. The Gotham field, alphabetically, and with expected riding assignments, is: Attachment Rate, Celtic Striker (undecided), First Deputy (Dylan Davis), Flap Jack (Declan Carroll), Informative (John Bisono), Mischevious Alex (Kendrick Carmouche), Montauk Traffic (Jose Lezcano), Necker Island (Manny Franco), Sixto (Eric Cancel), Untitled (Junior Alvarado), and War Stopper (Jorge Vargas Jr.).