Rice weighs options with Montauk Traffic

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Montauk Traffic, a 4 1/2-length maiden winner here Dec. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:01.66 on Wednesday morning and could be a candidate for either the Grade 2, $250,000 Withers Stakes on Feb. 1 or the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes on Feb. 8.

Montauk Traffic worked in company with Devil’s Code, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.51 while leaving his company.

Montauk Traffic actually debuted Dec. 14 at Laurel. He dwelt at the start and was never persevered with during the race by Jevian Toledo though the horse did earn a “solid gallop-out” comment from the chart caller. Eager to move on from that race, trainer Linda Rice wheeled Montauk Traffic back in two weeks at Aqueduct, and after getting away better Montauk Traffic stalked the pace and drew clear to win handily.

After the first race, “the owner was pretty disgusted with the situation and I wanted to correct it quickly,” Rice said.

Rice said the make-up of the field would likely determine whether she runs Montauk Traffic in the Withers at 1 1/8 miles or waits for the Winkfield at seven furlongs. The Withers field is expected to include Remsen Stakes 1-2 finishers Shotski and Ajaaweed as well as recent maiden winner Portos and possibly Jerome dead-heat runner-up Bourbon Bay.