Sixto getting a shot in Gotham Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Four years ago, the maiden Laoban finished second in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct but ultimately was on the outside looking in when it came to the Kentucky Derby, failing to draw into the race from the also-eligible list.

Trainer Eric Guillot said he sat around Churchill Downs all week long waiting for a scratch that never came. Guillot ultimately ran Laoban in the Preakness where he finished sixth. Later that summer, Laoban won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

This year, Guillot will be back in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes on March 7 at Aqueduct with the maiden winner Sixto. Guillot and his owner, Mike Moreno’s Southern Equine Stable, have yet to nominate Sixto to the Triple Crown series. Sixto, a son of Curlin, only debuted on Jan. 30, five days after the first nomination deadline for the Triple Crown closed.

“Let him pay for himself,” Guillot said. “That’s a smarter way to do it.”

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On Sunday, Sixto put in a sharp workout for the Gotham, breezing five furlongs in 59.60 seconds over the Belmont Park training track, by far the fastest of 22 works at the distance. He began his move about six lengths behind stablemate Three Eyed Raven and finished two or three in front.

“I wanted to give him one stiff work before the race and didn’t want to do it too close,” Guillot said Monday. “I told the kid to go in 1:01, I didn’t want 59, but he did it so easy. I always thought he was a good horse but yesterday solidified it. When they come back after a race and they start working 59 without being asked over a track like that, they’re good.”

Eric Cancel was aboard for the workout and will ride him in the Gotham. Reylu Gutierrez was aboard for the maiden victory, a day Cancel had a prior commitment and wound up missing that race anyway due to a fall.

Sixto was a debut winner going six furlongs, coming from off the pace to win by 1 3/4 lengths while earning an 81 Beyer Speed Figure.

Nominations for the Gotham, which offers 85 qualifying points (50-20-10-5) to its top four finishers to the Kentucky Derby were released Sunday.

Among the nominees probable or possible to run are Celtic Striker, Flap Jack, Informative, Mischevious Alex, Montauk Traffic, Relentless Dancer, Sixto, Untitled, and War Stopper.

On Monday, Montauk Traffic, the Jimmy Winkfield winner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.47, the fastest of 19 works at the distance over the Belmont training track.