Withers Stakes

Notes:
Eight sophomores vie for a share of the 200,000 purse and 17 Kentucky Derby qualifying points - 10-4-2-1 to the first four finishers - in the 1 1/16 miles Withers Stakes over Aqueduct s inner track. Revolutionary exits a stellar maiden-breaking performance over this oval from which the runner up returned in a romp of his own. Smooth Bert, who won the Damon Runyon S. for New York-breds in the slop last out, is the only stakes victor in the field. Siete de Oros, Amerigo Vespucci and Long River, who ran 2-3-4 here in the G2 Jerome S. on 1/5, all try again to add a stakes win to their resumes. Siete de Oros was completely dismissed at 41/1 in the Jerome and nearly pulled off the shocker. Maryland invader Amerigo Vespucci has never been off-the-board in five starts, three of which have been stakes. Long River gets first time Lasix for the McLaughlin barn that clicks at 22 with that angle. His stablemate, Valid, is the only entrant racing Lasix-free and makes his stakes debut off a sharp maiden score at Laurel Park. Gelding Escapefromreality faces open company for the first time after a win and narrow miss against New York-breds. Champion Boy, a son of Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, is still a maiden after finishing 3 rd in his only start on 1/20.
Withers Stakes is a Grade3 horse racing event that is organized at Aqueduct. It has a purse value of 200,000. Horses that can cover a distance of 8 furlongs may participate in the race.