Martin may run My Mitole in Gotham on two weeks' rest
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After initially thinking a two-week turnaround might be too close back, the connections of My Mitole on Sunday entered their 3-year-old in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
My Mitole drew the outside post in the 10-horse Gotham, a one-turn mile race that offers its top five finishers qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5) toward the May 3 Kentucky Derby. As My Mitole is not yet nominated to the Triple Crown – he can still be for a $6,000 fee by March 31 – the Gotham may be more about being the best option for My Mitole at this stage.
My Mitole is coming off two one-mile wins at Aqueduct. He captured a first-level allowance by 5 1/4 lengths on Feb. 14, his first start in three months. He was a late scratch at the gate from a Dec. 6 allowance won by Cyclone State but obviously that didn’t hamper him when he won here two weeks ago.
As of Monday, trainer Carlos Martin said My Mitole is not definite to run, with the decision to be based on how his training goes the remainder of the week. The Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs on March 15 is still under consideration.
“Coming out of the race it didn’t seem like it was much of an effort for him, to be honest,” Martin said. “I’m glad I’m in there, see how he trains the next few days.”
The Gotham field is led by unbeaten New York-breds Sand Devil and Sacrosanct. Sand Devil, a son of Violence trained by Linda Rice, is 3 for 3, with all of his wins coming in statebred company, including a neck victory in the Damon Runyon on Feb. 6. Sand Devil drew post 5 and will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.
Sacrosanct, a son of Honest Mischief trained by Brad Cox, is 4 for 4 including three stakes wins in restricted company. This will be his first start since he won the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series on Dec. 14. He was pointing to the Withers Stakes on Feb. 1 but missed some time due to a foot issue. He drew post 4 and will be ridden by Manny Franco.
Calling Card, another New York-bred, was scratched out of Saturday’s John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park, for this spot. Last Nov. 17, Calling Card won a one-mile maiden race for New York-breds by 17 1/4 lengths. He comes out of an eighth-place finish in the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds.
From the rail out, the Gotham field is Scorching, Normandy Coast, Calling Card, Sacrosanct, Sand Devil, Pagode, Flood Zone, McAfee, Garamond, and My Mitole.
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