Gotham

Big-figure debut winner Iron Honor (c, 3, Nyquist--Orencia, by Blame) fought past the Ohio-bred Crown the Buckeye (Yaupon) in the stretch to make it two-for-two in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct, good for 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Right to Party (Constitution) was third. Favored at 4-5 off the strength of a 95 Beyer Speed Figure earned sprinting first out over two next-out winners at the Big A Dec. 13, Iron Honor battled with Crown the Buckeye through fractions of :23.09 and :46.30 in the...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for this weekend's trio of GI Kentucky Derby preps--Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park and GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct and Sunday's GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park. GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. - Commandment (Into Mischief) is a deserving favorite and the horse to beat in this absolutely loaded renewal of the Coolmore Fountain of Youth. He kicked off the New Year in style, splitting horses at the top of the stretch en route to a...

Deterministic (c, 3, Liam's Map--Giulio's Jewel, by Speightstown), tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star' in a visually impressive, come-from-behind debut score after a slow start going seven furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 12, fired fresh off the bench to capture Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at a rain-soaked Aqueduct. Working up a storm for trainer Christophe Clement this winter at Payson Park in Florida, including a five-furlong bullet in 1:01 4/5 (1/8) Feb. 17, Deterministic was well supported at odds of 7-2 here. The $625,000 KEESEP yearling purchase raced in an inside...

Last year's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) kicks off his sophomore season in the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park, one of 14 graded stakes races on tap Saturday. The Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable colorbearer concluded his campaign with his third straight win at the top level in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Nov. 4. "It seems like he's gotten even better and better since [the Breeders' Cup]," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "It's great to have won with the foundation...

As the managing partner of Starlight Racing, Jack Wolf is a part of a team that can always be counted on to have several prospects for the GI Kentucky Derby. That's the case again this year as the trio of Starlight, SF Racing and Madaket Stables will have horses in Saturday's GII San Felipe S., the GIII Gotham S. and the John Battaglia Memorial. To discuss those runners and Starlight's philosophies when it comes to trying to acquire Derby candidates Wolf was the Green Group Guest of the Week on...

Chiefswood Stables homebred Weyburn (Pioneerof the Nile), last seen breaking his maiden going seven panels in the local slop Dec. 5, slipped past the bettors and into the winner's circle to post a 46-1 upset in Aqueduct's GIII Gotham S. He fended off Chad Brown trainee Crowded Trade (More Than Ready) to take the head bob, with that one's stablemate Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) a non-threatening third as the 4-5 chalk. Away well from his outside draw, Weyburn locked on to California invader Freedom Fighter (Violence) through splits of :24.29...

After capturing Aqueduct's GIII Withers S. with Risk Taking (Medaglia d'Oro), Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown will continue on the road to Louisville through New York with the talented Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. The one-turn mile contest awards the top-four finishers GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points via a 50-20-10-5 scale. Highly Motivated defeated subsequent GII Remsen S. third-place finisher Known Agenda (Curlin)--a recent 11-length optional claiming winner at Gulfstream--in his Belmont maiden breaker at second asking Sept. 27, then most recently posted an ultra-impressive...

Nicky the Vest, an impressive debut winner in December at Aqueduct, proved that no effort was no fluke with an authoritative romp in the New York-bred Gander S. Sunday at the Big A, becoming the first black-type winner for Claiborne Farm's Runhappy (by Super Saver) in the process. Unveiled as an 11-2 proposition against Empire-bred foes over track and trip Dec. 18, the $110,000 OBS October grad shook off some early pace pressure and kicked away to a 3 1/4-length score. Hammered late to go off as the clear favorite...

Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) handled the added distance of Saturday's one-turn mile Gotham with aplomb, running away to his third straight impressive victory. He broke sharply and raced three deep to vy for command as they stacked up four across the track through a :23.54 opening quarter. The bay made his move to gain a narrow advantage approaching the far turn, was sat down by Kendrick Carmouche nearing the quarter pole and responded nicely from there, driving clear in the stretch to deliver as the favorite. Mischevious Alex entered the...

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Results - Country Grammer ran well enough last week to sneak into my Kentucky Derby rankings, but not well enough to win any points, so I'm looking to bust out...

Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) looks for his third straight stakes score in a loaded renewal of Saturday's GIII Gotham S. going a one-turn mile at the Big A. The speedy bay, favored at 3-1 on the morning line for the Gotham, ran away by 9 3/4 lengths in his first attempt with blinkers added in the Parx Juvenile S. Nov. 5, then returned from the bench with another dazzling front-running performance in Gulfstream's GIII Swale S. Feb. 1. Both races were contested at seven furlongs. "If he runs good in...