Wit targets Woody Stephens as next start
Wit won his career debut on Belmont Stakes Day 2021. His connections hope he wins his next race on Belmont Stakes Day 2022.
Wit, who came off a six-month layoff to run down Highly Respected and win Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore Stakes, will be pointed to the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens on June 11, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday.
“We were cutting it close to be ready for this race,” Pletcher said. “A little extra time back to the Woody Stephens will be good and take our best shot at winning a Grade 1 there.”
Pletcher was impressed with Wit, who broke much sharper than he had in any of his four races last year, and was able to run down a seemingly home-free Highly Respected, who also ran a monster race in what was his second lifetime start.
“I thought at the eighth pole he had too much to do,” Pletcher said. “But he kept finding.”
Wit, a son of Practical Joke, earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Chad Brown, the trainer of Highly Respected, said his colt’s effort “showed he’s a real runner. We’ll see if we want to keep him sprinting or stretch him out. He’s bred to go a little bit farther.”