Not That Brady back on track for Gotham

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The announcement last week that the unbeaten Instagrand was shipping from California for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham at Aqueduct seems to have prompted a change of plans for some horsemen, reducing what was looking like a full field to one that may number eight when entries are taken Wednesday.

Zenden, High Crime, Mr. Ankeny, and Spun to Run have been withdrawn from consideration for the Gotham. On Monday, trainer Todd Pletcher said Federal Case would skip the Gotham to run in the Grade 3 Hutcheson going six furlongs on March 23 at Gulfstream Park.

One horse who appears to be back in the Gotham mix is Not That Brady, who on Sunday worked five furlongs in 1:02.98 over Aqueduct’s main track.

Not That Brady, beaten a head by Tax in the Grade 3 Withers on Feb. 2, has been dealing with a quarter crack on his right front foot that forced him to miss one workout.

The quarter crack was patched Friday. Though Aqueduct was closed for training on Saturday and again on Monday due to inclement weather, trainer Rudy Rodriguez was able to get a work in Sunday.

“Everything went perfect, looks like he came back good,” said Rodriguez, who was aboard the gelding for the workout, done in company with the 4-year-old maiden Orbed.

On Monday, Rodriguez texted “so far, so good” when asked how Not That Brady came out of the work.

Both of Not That Brady’s victories have come at a one-turn mile, including a three-length victory over New York-breds in Damon Runyon Stakes. The Withers was at 1 1/8 miles.

Apprentice jockey Reylu Gutierrez will retain the mount for the Gotham.

Also working Sunday for the Gotham was longshot Family Biz, who went six furlongs in 1:14.84 at Aqueduct. Family Biz, trained by Eddie Barker, finished third in the Jerome and fourth in the Jimmy Winkfield.

Barker said he opted to take a shot in the Gotham based on the way Family Biz has been training the last three weeks. Barker said Kendrick Carmouche breezed the horse Sunday and will ride him in the Gotham.

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Instagrand, who has not run since winning the Best Pal Stakes by 10 1/4 lengths on

Aug. 11 at Del Mar, was scheduled to work Tuesday in California for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and ship to New York on Wednesday along with the Bob Baffert-trained Much Better.

The Gotham offers 85 qualifying points to its top four finishers (50-20-10-5) to the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

As of Monday, the Gotham field, with riders, was: Family Biz (Carmouche), Haikal (Rajiv Maragh), Instagrand (Javier Castellano), Knicks Go (Jose Lezcano), Mind Control (John Velazquez), Much Better (Junior Alvarado), Not That Brady (Gutierrez), and Tikhvin Flew (Dylan Davis).