Many pieces to puzzling Withers Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Handicappers will have to grapple with questions regarding class, distance, and fitness when deciphering whom to wager on in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct.

The seven-horse field of 3-year-olds assembled for the Withers, contested at 1 1/8 miles, includes two horses obtained via the claim box for $50,000, one bought at auction for $900,000, two horses who have not run in at least 10 weeks, one who has done his best work on synthetic, and another who hasn’t won beyond 5 1/2 furlongs.

Tax, the 2-1 morning-line favorite, was claimed for $50,000 out of a winning effort at Keeneland in his second career start. He stepped right into graded company and finished a respectable third behind the undefeated Maximus Mischief in the Grade 2 Remsen on Dec. 1.

“We moved too soon, but we were trying to win the race,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “If we sit and wait and go after him in midstretch, we run second instead of getting tired at the end.”

The Withers, like the Remsen, is run at 1 1/8 miles, which is why Gargan targeted this race for Tax, whose family traces back to 1993 Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero.

“I’m real happy with how he’s doing, and he looks fabulous,” Gargan said.

The Withers is a game of musical jockeys, with six of the seven runners having a different rider than in their previous race. Junior Alvarado rides Tax, taking over for Manny Franco, who is riding Moretti.

Moretti, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, was purchased for $900,000 as a yearling by Mike Repole and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Moretti, trained by Todd Pletcher, is coming off a maiden win at 1 1/8 miles here Dec. 20. He ran spotty in that race and subsequent works were just average. Moretti, who did not race with blinkers, was equipped with blinkers for his most recent workout, and his connections liked the move enough to put them on for this race.

Lucky Lee, a son of Flatter, won two straight two-turn mile races at Parx Racing last fall. He has not run since Nov. 17, and though he doesn’t show a published workout since Jan. 13, trainer John Servis said the horse did work five furlongs in “1:01 and change” on Jan. 20 at Palm Meadows. Servis said Lucky Lee did miss a work last weekend, due to poor track conditions following inclement weather.

“The distance he relishes, he’s trained good – he hasn’t trained outstanding but he’s certainly trained good – and he’s got a great mind,” Servis said.

Frankie Pennington, who lost the mount on Maximus Mischief for Saturday’s Holy Bull at Gulfstream, takes over from Jeremy Rose aboard Lucky Lee.

Our Braintrust finished second to Mind Control in the one-turn mile Jerome. He was subsequently purchased privately by Gary Barber and turned over to Mark Casse.

Our Braintrust, a Maryland-bred son of Freud, won his first two starts at sprint distances, including the Tremont going 5 1/2 furlongs in June at Belmont. This will be his first start around two turns.

“He’s a good sprinter, we’re going to give him the opportunity to show us he wants to run farther,” Casse said.

Sir Winston, Casse’s other starter in this race, won the Display Stakes going 1 1/16 miles over Woodbine’s synthetic surface. His lone start on dirt was a sixth-place finish sprinting at Churchill Downs last June.

“He really didn’t run that badly, even though it looks bad on form,” Casse said. “He had no speed, came running a little bit late, galloped out well. He’s bred for the dirt. No reason he shouldn’t like it. He has to prove he’s that caliber.”

Not That Brady, like Tax, was claimed for $50,000. He has to prove he can be successful against open company after winning his last two starts – including the Damon Runyon Stakes – against New York-breds. His advantage may be that he trains daily over Aqueduct’s main track, which has been deep.

Admire won a two-turn, 1 1/8-mile maiden race last Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs. He was entered in the Grade 3 Lecomte on Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds, but scratched when he drew post 14.

“He’s the real deal,” said trainer Dale Romans, who noted the horse had shin issues at 2. “I’ve always been behind on him. We just now have gotten caught up. I think we’ll see the best of him now.”

The Withers, which offers 17 qualifying points (10-4-2-1) to its top four finishers toward the May 4 Kentucky Derby, will go as race 9 on a 10-race program that begins at 12:20 p.m.

The Withers is the first leg of a pick five wager that includes Aqueduct’s 10th race as well as races 6, 7, and 8 from Oaklawn Park.

The wager is a 50-cent minimum bet and has a 15 percent takeout rate.