Max Player has first work since winning Withers

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Max Player, the Grade 3 Withers Stakes winner and a member of Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch, returned to the work tab Wednesday morning, breezing five furlongs in 1:03.75 over the Belmont Park training track.

Max Player, a son of Honor Code trained by Linda Rice for owner George Hall, is pointing to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4.

Max Player worked in company with the unstarted 3-year-old maiden I Prowl Alone. The pair, breaking off at the half-mile pole, went their opening quarter in 24.57 seconds, hit the wire in 50.22, and went a furlong past the wire in 13.53 seconds. Max Player continued out six furlongs in 1:17.03 and pulled up a mile in 1:31.61.

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“He’s a little lazy as a work horse so I gave him some company,” Rice said. “He came out of the race really well. I was going to wait another day or so but I didn’t think the track was going to be as good as it was today.”

Max Player hasn’t raced since he won the Withers by 3 1/4 lengths over Remsen Stakes winner Shotski on Feb. 1. He has 10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby.

Meanwhile, Rice said that Montauk Traffic, winner of the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes on Feb. 8, is expected to return to the work tab over the weekend. He is likely to make his next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes going a one-turn mile on March 7.

Rice said that First Deputy, a 5 1/2-length winner of a New York-bred first-level allowance race going six furlongs on Jan. 23, is also under consideration for the Gotham.

◗ Chowda came out of his victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-breds in good shape and all options are open for his next start, trainer Gary Sciacca said.

The most logical spot for Chowda’s next start is the $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes for statebreds on March 15. That could be a stepping-stone to the $200,000 Times Square division of the New York Stallion Stakes on April 19.

Chowda, a son of Emcee, earned a career-best 77 Beyer Speed Figure for his Gander victory.