While GIII Withers S. winner Far From Over (Blame) will wait for the GI Wood Memorial S., the three horses who finished directly behind him in that Feb. 7 heat are back for the Big A's GIII Gotham S. Zayat Stables's 'TDN Rising Star'El Kabeir (Scat Daddy) annexed Churchill's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 29 and cruised in this strip's GIII Jerome S. Jan. 3, but had to settle for second in the Withers at 1-2 odds after attending the pace. “He's doing great,” said trainer John Terranova. “We've been lucky in the fact we've gotten several races under him so far. He's got a great foundation, so fitness is not a problem or an issue. We've had a couple of light days in between, but we never want to force anything. We just wait for the track and him to tell us. Hopefully we'll be good the next few weeks. So far this week, it looks like he's coming into this race really well.”
Cheyenne Stables's Classy Class (Discreetly Mine) dueled with El Kabeir before finishing one slot behind him in the Withers. He was a four-length debut winner sprinting at Belmont Oct. 25 and fourth in the nine-panel GII Remsen S. on this main track Nov. 29. “We thought [Classy Class] ran very well in the Withers,” said McLaughlin. “El Kabeir challenged him a lot earlier than we were expecting, and he ran on well. [In the Gotham], we'd prefer to see him come from off the pace; he doesn't need to be on the lead.”
Philip Birsch homebred Tencendur (Warrior's Reward) broke his maiden second out in the mud here against state-bred foes Jan. 19 before finishing an even fourth in the Withers. He'll be given first-time blinkers by George Weaver.
Todd Pletcher, Far From Over's trainer, has a three-horse entry for Repole Stable. Blame Jim (Sharp Humor) was a debut winner at Saratoga in July before finishing second to stablemate Stanford (Malibu Moon) in a Gulfstream optional claimer Feb. 8. The speedster stretches out for the first time here. Dontbetwithbruno (Tiz Wonderful) earned his diploma by a nose over track and trip Feb. 1, while the third Repole representative Uninfluenced (Indian Charlie) is still a maiden–he was second by a neck in the mud Feb. 22.
Harvey Clarke and Paul Braverman's Lieutenant Colonel (Colonel John) takes a class hike here off just a debut maiden win at a mile at Gulfstream Feb. 7. He set the pace and got his head down on the line in front of GII Tampa Bay Derby entrant Great Stuff (Quality Road).
Tiz Shea D (Tiznow) is also one-for-one, having rallied from off the pace to post a four-length score going 5 1/2 furlongs at Parx Feb. 7. The bay was purchased privately from Daniel Shea by Wachtel Stable, Brous Stable and Gary Barber and transferred from Jason Servis to Bill Mott.
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