Lightline follows in Hit Show's path in Withers

Trainer Brad Cox hopes he has another Hit Show in the making in Lightline.

A year after using the Withers Stakes to get Hit Show to the Kentucky Derby, Cox will attempt to produce a sequel when he runs Lightline in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Withers at Aqueduct.

The Withers, since moving to this spot on the calendar in 2012, has produced 10 Derby starters, with Revolutionary’s third-place finish in 2013 the best showing. This year’s Withers offers its top five finishers qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2) to the May 4 Derby.

Last year, Hit Show was making his fourth career start, first in a stakes, when he galloped by 5 1/2 lengths in the Withers. Saturday, Lightline will be making his fourth career start, first in a stakes, in the Withers, run at 1 1/8 miles.

Hit Show would go on to finish second in the Wood Memorial, fifth in the Kentucky Derby, and in a dead heat for fourth in the Belmont Stakes. He is slated to return as a 4-year-old later this spring.

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Lightline, a son of City of Light out of the graded stakes winner Upperline owned by Dennis Albaugh, has made all three of his starts around two turns. He won a one-mile maiden race at Horseshoe Indianapolis by 13 lengths in September before finishing second, beaten 5 3/4 lengths by Stretch Ride, in a first-level allowance at Keeneland.

While Lightline raced close to the pace in those two races, he was last of 12 early before rallying from 11 lengths back to finish second, four lengths behind repeat winner Carbone, in a one-mile allowance Dec. 31 at Oaklawn.

“He probably got a little too far back in that one-mile race at Oaklawn, but overall it was a good effort, thought we’d give him a shot in one of these Derby preps,” said Cox, who has already won four stakes on this circuit in 2024. “The Albaughs believe he’s a horse that will be a little better with more ground. I’m hopeful he can handle the mile and an eighth and the surface up there.”

The decision to run in the Withers was a late one, and the horse flew from Memphis to Newark, N.J., on Tuesday.

Manny Franco, who rode Hit Show in last year’s Withers, rides Lightline from post 3.

Last year in the Withers, Hit Show ran down the New York-bred Arctic Arrogance, a Linda Rice trainee coming out of a runner-up finish in the Jerome. Rice is back Saturday with the New York-bred El Grande O, who comes out of a runner-up finish in the Jerome.

Rice anticipates El Grande O to be a pace presence in the Withers under Kendrick Carmouche.

Seminole Chief ships up from Florida, where with blinkers on he was a pace-pressing winner of the In Reality division of the Florida Stallion Series on Dec. 2 at Gulfstream. Trainer Jack Sisterson said he was considering running in the Holy Bull Stakes, but altered course when he learned Fierceness, the 2-year-old champion, was targeting that race.

Trevor McCarthy rides Seminole Chief from post 5.

Uncle Heavy, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion, has won 2 of 3 starts for trainer Butch Reid. He overcame a wide trip with a long, sustained run to win the Wait For It Stakes on Dec. 27 at Parx Racing at a mile and 70 yards.

“The farther the better with this horse,” Reid said. “First time around two turns and he was real wide around both turns and finished with good energy. I don’t think he’ll have a problem with the distance.”

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Mychel Sanchez rides Uncle Heavy from post 8.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out the uncoupled pair of Speed Runner and Khanate in the Withers.

Speed Runner is coming off a maiden victory at the Withers distance of 1 1/8 miles after finishing third in his debut going seven furlongs.

“I thought it was a good effort, he seemed to appreciate the added distance and was pretty game,” Pletcher said. “Like all of them at this stage, they need to continue to improve.”

Khanate will attempt to stretch out to nine furlongs after finishing third in the Jerome at one mile.

Mission Beach, a son of Curlin, will stretch out from an allowance win going six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles for trainer Brittany Russell. He made the first three starts of his career with trainer Bob Baffert.

Deposition, who has one win from six starts, and the maiden Society Man complete the field.

The Withers will go as race 9 on a 10-race card that begins at 11:50 a.m. and includes the Grade 3, $175,000 Toboggan Stakes for older sprinters.

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