Arctic Arrogance, Hit Show among six in Withers

Feb 01, 2023 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Update: Frigid weather has prompted Aqueduct to cancel racing on Friday and Saturday. The Withers is postponed one week, to Feb. 11, with entries to be redrawn next Wednesday. 

Saturday’s $250,000 Withers
(G3) is the second of four Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifiers at Aqueduct this
year. Six three-year-olds are entered for the 1 1/8-mile race, which will award
points on a 20-8-4-2-1 scale to the top five finishers as part of the Road to
the Kentucky Derby series.

Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Brad Cox had 11 horses listed
as individual entrants in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager last month, including
Hit Show, who will make his first
stakes attempt following a 3 1/2-length allowance win at Oaklawn Park in
mid-December.

By Candy Ride, Hit Show was re-routed to the Withers after
being entered in last Saturday’s Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park, and the gray
colt appears likely to go favored. Hit Show has captured 2-of-3 starts, and the
late runner will add the services of Manny Franco.

Arctic Arrogance concluded
2022 with a half-length second in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, and the New York-bred
colt opened his sophomore campaign with a half-length second in the Jan. 7
Jerome S. at a one-turn mile. He’s firmly on the Kentucky Derby trail at this
early date, but questions remain about his quality and effectiveness at longer
distances.

The Withers may provide a better gauge. Trainer Linda Rice
will add blinkers to the gray frontrunner, and Arctic Arrogance will be prominent
from the start with Jose Lezcano.

The remaining four Withers entrants – Andiamo a Firenze, General Banker,
Ninetyprcentmaddie, and Prove Right – all are at least stakes-placed,
but none have won at a two-turn distance. The 1 1/8-mile distance looks like a
legitimate challenge for the quartet.