Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct, Feb. 6, 2021 (10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth) Winner: Risk Taking, by Medaglia d’Oro Trainer: Chad Brown Jockey: Eric Cancel Owner: Klaravich Stables Beyer Speed Figure: 89 RISK TAKING is now 2 for 2 since adding blinkers and getting to go long on dirt, scoring a resounding victory here over a suspect field while showing he wants every part of the distances he’ll be asked to negotiate in coming months. The fact that trainer Chad Brown left him in New York this winter instead of relocating to South Florida gives pause that he’s not considered an elite prospect, so for the time being I’m looking at this result more as a clever bit of management to win a graded, quarter-million-dollar race than as an indication that the Derby winner has been found. That said, Risk Taking is certainly improving. This was a career-best fig, and he does not appear to have distance limitations. But the relative lack of merit of those he beat gives pause. In this race, Risk Taking broke well and then settled mid-pack, between rivals while in the two path, around the first turn. He crept closer during a slow (24.69 second) second quarter-mile while under a snug hold, then began his rally from the three path on the far turn. He made an extended run into the lane, reeled in pacesetter CAPO KANE a furlong out, and drew clear through a final three furlongs run in 38.84 seconds while swapping over to his wrong lead about 50 yards from the wire. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2021: Point standings, prep schedule, news, and more OVERTOOK, who finished second, like Risk Taking hails from a barn (Todd Pletcher) with multiple outposts that keeps its best runners in South Florida this time of year, so his remaining in New York might indicate the regard in which he’s held. He lacks speed and was at the back of the pack around the first turn while in the two path, followed the winner down the backstretch and into the far turn, then continued to advance while splitting horses in the three path three furlongs out. He appeared to lose some momentum approaching the quarter pole, finally switched leads a furlong out, and got up late for second while never threatening Risk Taking. He was under a drive from a long ways out, and the feeling is that his progress was more the result of passing exhausted rivals. Capo Kane, who was third, was hustled to the lead and secured the rail around the first turn. He initially pulled hard while under a snug hold, with MR. DODA applying early pressure. He opened a clear lead heading down the backstretch, faced a fresh challenge from EAGLE ORB around the far turn, turned him aside moving into the lane, began to weaken in midstretch while again showing his habit of drifting out, and lost the place in the closing yards. He doesn’t appear to want any part of any additional distance, let alone tougher foes. ROYAL NUMBER, who was fourth, went into the first turn along the rail, just inside of Overtook. He was asked to pick it up around the far turn while getting a dream run along the rail, tipped out to be just inside of Overtook coming off the bend, but failed to make much progress through the lane. Considering his gorgeous trip, he should have finished better. Eagle Orb, who was fifth, was difficult to load, but broke alertly, then went into the first turn mid-pack in the four path, unable to drop in from his outside stall. He moved closer down the backstretch and went into the far turn in the three path, was asked aggressively to challenge Capo Kane around the far turn, couldn’t stay with Capo Kane in upper stretch, then really emptied out in the final sixteenth. This was his first try around two turns. He finished first or second in 5 of 6 prior starts, so a return to a one-turn race seems prudent. CIVIL WAR, who was sixth, was mid-pack in the three path, just outside Risk Taking, around the first turn. He continued alongside Risk Taking down the backstretch and went into the far turn in the four path, but couldn’t stay with Risk Taking around the far turn, had Overtook swoop past him to his inside on the turn, dropped toward the rear, and plodded home while on his wrong lead. DONEGAL BAY, who was seventh, bobbled slightly a couple strides after leaving the gate, then went into the first turn in the three path, just behind and outside Capo Kane and Mr. Doda. He advanced to second heading down the backstretch and was between Capo Kane and Eagle Orb entering the far turn, but he gave way readily around that turn in a very disappointing effort. SHACKQUEENKING, who was eighth, used his inside draw to save ground around the first turn while just inside of Donegal Bay. He followed Capo Kane down the backstretch and around the far turn while saving every inch of ground, was fourth entering the lane, but tired badly in the stretch. Mr. Doda, who finished last of nine, broke well and went into the first turn alongside Capo Kane, but stopped badly before reaching the half-mile pole and was pretty much eased the final three furlongs while overmatched. Back to short sprints and softer company.