Preakness Quick Sheet: Get to Know the 2021 Preakness Horses
2023 Withers Stakes at a Glance
RacingWhile Mother Nature and single-digit temperatures KO’d last Saturday’s Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, the rescheduled 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve prep should go off without a hitch Feb. 11 at the Big A.
After a field of six was entered last week, seven will break from the starting gate Saturday, chasing qualifying points distributed 20-8-6-4-2 to the top five in descending order. As for how the delay will impact the outcome, there’s no sure-fire answer, except for one voiced by Linda Rice, trainer of the favorite Arctic Arrogance, to BloodHorse: “Ask me that on Sunday.”
1. Arctic Arrogance (8-5 morning-line odds): He’s been remarkably consistent, finishing no worse than second in his five career starts. He was a game runner-up in the Jerome Stakes after missing a workout and should be in better shape for this test, which comes at the same 1 1/8-mile trip as last year’s Grade 2 Remsen Stakes when he was second in a better field. Should be tough to beat in this field, but he does like to finish second.
JOCKEY: Jose Lezcano; TRAINER: Linda Rice
2. Prove Right (30-1): He tired badly on a synthetic surface last time in a Turfway Park stakes, losing by 16 1/4 lengths. He’s fared better on dirt, but Prove Right did finish 32 lengths behind in the Remsen. While a sloppy track might explain that poor performance, he’s yet to win at a distance beyond 5 1/2 lengths and faces a big obstacle here.
JOCKEY: Jose Gomez; TRAINER: James Chapman
3. Jungfrau (4-1): The newcomer to the field. The extra week convinced trainer Bill Mott to send him north from Florida, where he posted a maiden win at Gulfstream Park. It wasn’t the conventional way as he lost by a nose only to be declared the winner through a disqualification, but he showed enough ability at a two-turn distance to be a factor here. Plus, Mott is on a tear winning the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat and running 1-2 in the Holy Bull Stakes the last two weekends.
JOCKEY: Dylan Davis; TRAINER: Bill Mott
4. Hit Show (9-5): Trainer Brad Cox scratched him from the Jan. 28 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, which proved to be a wise move after seeing how Arabian Knight rolled to a lopsided victory in that race. This spot will be considerably easier and a better class test as he makes his stakes debut off a solid win in December at Oaklawn that frames him as a major threat in this field – especially if he takes a step forward in this start.
JOCKEY: Manny Franco; TRAINER: Brad Cox
5. General Banker (8-1): He’s been busy lately, running for the third time since mid-December. He’s enjoyed a pleasant amount of success in the last two tries, winning a $500,000 New York Stallion Series stakes and most recently finishing third in the Jerome Stakes at a mile. He switches back to jockey Eric Cancel, which is a plus, but in the Jerome this New York-bred finished seven lengths behind Arctic Arrogance, who will be one of the favorites here, diminishing his appeal.
JOCKEY: Eric Cancel; TRAINER: Jimmy Ferraro
6. Ninetyprcentmaddie (8-1): Pennsylvania-bred steps up into graded stakes company for the first time after finishing second against open company in the Parx Juvenile Stakes on a sloppy track. He has some speed, but he’s never raced beyond seven furlongs and may find the two-turn nine-furlong distance a bit too taxing in the stretch.
JOCKEY: Abner Adorno; TRAINER: Butch Reid
7. Andiamo a Firenze (12-1): The half-brother to $2.7 million earner Firenze Fire showed great promise early in his career when he was third in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes and then romped in the Funny Cide Stakes for New York-breds. But he struggled in two races at a mile, finishing 13 lengths behind winner Lugan Knight in the Jerome. Would think today’s distance will be even more of a challenge for him.
JOCKEY: Frankie Pennington; TRAINER: Kelly Breen
THE PICK: Hit Show
LIVE LONGSHOT: General Banker
SUPERFECTA: 4-1-3-5
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