10.27.2001	Photo By: Adam Coglianese
		Trainer Shug McGaughey (above) will saddle Cynthia Phipps' Saarland in the 50th runing of the Gotham Stakes (GIII) at Aqueduct Race Course on Mar. 17. The winner of last year's Remsen Stakes (GIII) at the "Big A", Saarland will be making his three-year-old debut in the Gotham. "I know he [Saarland] wants to go two turns," McGaughey said. "He won't show much speed in there [the Gotham]. I'm hoping he relaxes and comes with a good run through the stretch. That would give me something to get him to the next race."

Fresh Faces The Ones To Fear In Gotham
By, Jenny Kellner

JAMAICA, N.Y. - The greatly-anticipated 3-year-old debuts of two Kentucky Derby hopefuls have finally arrived.

Mayakovsky, eager for his first race since way back in September, and Saarland, who last ran in November, are the colts to beat in Sunday's $200,000 Gotham Stakes (GIII) at Aqueduct.

The Grade III race, a one-turn, one-mile test on the road to the Kentucky Derby (GI), drew a field of seven for its 50th running.

Mayakovsky, last seen finishing a solid second behind Came Home in the Hopeful Stakes (GI) at Saratoga on Sept. 1, was installed as the 6-5 morning favorite. The Michael Tabor-owned son of Matty G drew the No. 2 post-position in Friday morning's draw.

Saarland, owned by Cynthia Phipps, won the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 24. He was supposed to run in Florida earlier this year, but trainer Shug McGaughey did not like the racing surface and chose to wait until the Gotham to showcase his potential Derby starter.

Also entered were Rum Splasher, Two Shakes, Tank's Expectation, Heir D'Twine and Parade of Music.

"I'm happy with where I am right now,'" said McGaughey. "I hope the Gotham sets him up for the Wood Memorial (GI) and the Wood sets him up for the Kentucky Derby." That would be New York's version of racing to the Derby. The Wood is April 13 at Aqueduct and then it's on to Louisville. For McGaughey, a Derby trip has been a long time coming. His last Derby starters were in 1989, when Easy Goer finished second and Awe Inspiring third behind the winner, Sunday Silence.

Although McGaughey was looking for a two-turn race, he's fine with the way the Gotham is setting up.

"I know he wants to go two turns,'" he said. "He won't show much speed in there. I'm hoping he relaxes and comes with a good run through the stretch. That would give me something to get him to the next race."

Saarland will be ridden by John Velazquez. Prior to the Remsen, the colt was fourth in the Champagne Stakes (GI) and eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) at Belmont Park. He has two wins in five career starts.

Mayakovsky, meanwhile, will be making just his third start. In his first race, on July 25 at Saratoga, he broke a 55-year-old track record by covering 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03 1/5. Edgar Prado, who rides Florida Derby (GI) favorite Harlan's Holiday on Mar. 16. will be aboard Mayakovsky.

"He may lack experience but he is a very smart horse" trainer Patrick Biancone said of Mayakovsky. "Everything we tried to teach him, he knew before."

Mayakovsky was sidelined in late September with a hairline fracture of his left rear ankle. But Biancone said he's healed well and is ready for a big effort.

Last week at Santa Anita, Mayakovsky worked seven furlongs in 1:24 1/5, and breezed a half-mile on Mar. 12 in :46 with Prado aboard. He shipped to New York on the morning of Mar. 15.

"We're as happy as we can be with him" Biancone said. "It's been such a long spell since he ran last ... but we do know that this race will help him out a lot."

The field, from the rail out, is: Rum Splasher (12-1, Norberto Arroyo Jr.); Mayakovsky; Two Shakes (Mike Luzzi, 15-1); Tank's Expectation (Aaron Gryder, 10-1); Heir D'Twine (Javier Castellano, 8-1); and Saarland.

Last year's Gotham did not produce a Kentucky Derby starter, but 2000 Gotham runner-up Aptitude was second behind Fusaichi Pegasus in the 2000 Derby.

Jenny Kellner is one of the most respected, multi-faceted journalists in New York. She served as the New York Islanders beat writer for the New York Times and has covered Thoroughbred horse racing and professional football for several major publications in the Big Apple and beyond. She is a frequent contributor to a myriad of Thoroughbred racing trade publications and has covered numerous Kentucky Derbys and Breeders' Cups.

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