Weyburn can give Jerkens a going-away gift in Westchester
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Jimmy Jerkens will send out his last few runners this weekend before heading to Saudi Arabia later this month to train. Among his final horses will be Weyburn, who starts in Friday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park.
The Westchester, a one-mile race that could lead to the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 10, drew a field of eight, but lost a major player in White Abarrio, who shipped to Kentucky on Tuesday to run in Saturday’s Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes.
Weyburn is coming off a neck victory in the $150,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Though the margin of victory was narrow, Jerkens said Weyburn and jockey Jose Ortiz made a move into the fastest quarter of the race.
“The middle quarter was faster than the first quarter and he closed five lengths around the turn,” Jerkens said. “Jose said he won a lot easier than it looked. I know he used himself up a lot around the turn, but I thought it was a good race.”
With Ortiz at Churchill Downs on Friday, Trevor McCarthy rides Weyburn. In 2021, McCarthy guided Weyburn to a 46-1 upset in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct going a mile.
“The horse has been an in-and-outer all his life,” Jerkens said. “He seems like he’s doing great. I’d be really surprised if he threw in a clunker the way he’s acting.”
Trainer Chad Brown sends out the uncoupled entry of Zandon and Dr Ardito. Zandon, who won the Grade 1 Blue Grass last year, scratched out of an allowance last week when the track came up sloppy. It looks like dry conditions will be in play Saturday.
Brown said the only reason he preferred the allowance to the Westchester was because it gave the horse an extra week to the Met Mile.
“He’s doing great,” Brown said.
Dr Ardito, a New York-bred gelding by Liam’s Map, has won six consecutive races, including the one-mile Haynesfield Stakes for New York-breds in February. Brown said he chose the Westchester over the Grade 1 Carter at seven furlongs last month because he wanted to keep Dr Ardito racing at a mile.
“I don’t like him at seven as much as I do at a mile,” Brown said. “He’s handled everything we’ve asked him. Everything we throw at him, he finds a way to come through.”
After winning four consecutive races, including the Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct, Repo Rocks finished second as the 4-5 favorite in the Carter. Trainer Jamie Ness is making a rider change from Andrew Wolfsont to Ruben Silvera.
Bourbon Calling, who has won three straight races since being claimed for $32,000 by Antonio Arriaga, could be dangerous at a price.
Unbridled Bomber wheels back three weeks after a nine-length romp in allowance company going a mile at Aqueduct.
Expressman, third in the Carter, completes the field.
The Westchester goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that includes the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay.
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