Study Guide: 2024 Gotham Stakes
Feb 29, 2024
Khante wins at Keeneland (Photo by Coady Photography)
A total of 105 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification points are up for grabs in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham S. (G3) at Aqueduct. The one-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier splits its points on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis among the top five finishers.
Let’s check out the ultra-competitive group of 13 horses entered in the Gotham:
Khanate
Khante wins at Keeneland (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 6
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: Calumet Farm
Breeder: Mongolian Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Gomez
Top Speed Rating: (88) when finishing fifth in the Withers (G3) at Aqueduct
Total Earnings: $72,820
Sire: Hightail
Dam: Mongolian Shopper
Color: Dark bay/brown
Khanate regularly shows early speed, but after weakening to finish third in the one-mile Jerome S. and fifth in the 1 1/8-mile Withers (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby at Aqueduct, it’s possible sprinting is his true strong suit.
Maximus Meridius
Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: LC Racing, Cash Is King, and Robert E. Reid Jr.
Breeder: Westerly Farm
Trainer: Robert E. Reid Jr.
Jockey: Mychel Sanchez
Top Speed Rating: (91) when winning a Parx Racing allowance optional claimer.
Total Earnings: $91,700
Sire: Maximus Mischief
Dam: Quiet Virtue
Color: Bay
Maximus Meridius has impressively won two of his three starts sprinting at Parx Racing, but he’s bred for speed and has yet to run farther than 6 1/2 furlongs. Stretching out over one mile is an obstacle to overcome.
Deterministic
Deterministic wins at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, C. Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable
Breeder: Hinkle Farms
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Top Speed Rating: (90) when winning his debut at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $57,750
Sire: Liam’s Map
Dam: Giulio’s Jewel
Color: Dark bay/brown
Deterministic showed talent when rallying to win his debut, sprinting seven furlongs at Saratoga last summer. He hasn’t run since then, but four bullet workouts at Payson Park since late January should have Deterministic fit for a competitive return.
Facenda
Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: William A. Branch
Breeder: Wimbledon Farm
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Abel Cedillo
Top Speed Rating: (73) when winning his debut at Turf Paradise.
Total Earnings: $18,300
Sire: Violence
Dam: Amiens
Color: Dark bay/brown
Fast-working Facenda won his debut sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Turf Paradise, but the resulting 73 Brisnet Speed rating looks light against the Gotham field.
Deposition
Deposition wins at Parx (Photo by Equiphoto)
Start(s): 7
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: Uriah St. Lewis
Breeder: WinStar Farm
Trainer: Uriah St. Lewis
Jockey: Dexter Haddock
Top Speed Rating: (91) when finishing fourth in the Withers (G3) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $60,775
Sire: Constitution
Dam: Mandrell
Color: Dark bay/brown
Deposition closed 3 1/2 lengths through the final furlong of the Withers to finish fourth by three lengths, but he’s yet to crack the trifecta in three stakes starts and needs improvement to turn the tables on Withers rivals El Grande O and Lightline.
Air Cav
Air Cav (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: Calumet Farm
Breeder: Highlight Thoroughbreds and Haugh Stables
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Eric Cancel
Top Speed Rating: (84) when finishing fifth in the Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $52,400
Sire: Mitole
Dam: In a Cloud
Color: Chestnut
Air Cav finished a dozen lengths behind Gotham rival Bergen when third in the six-furlong Jimmy Winkfield S. at Aqueduct last time out, but two starts back he finished a decent fifth against a strong field in the one-mile Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct. Returning to the same track and distance for an easier contest like the Gotham, may put Air Cav in the hunt for a top-five finish at enticing odds.
El Grande O
El Grande O wins The Sleepy Hollow (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Walter Wlodarczyk)
Start(s): 10
Wins: 3
Place: 5
Show: 1
Owner: Barry K. Schwartz
Breeder: Stonewall Farm
Trainer: Linda Rice
Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche
Top Speed Rating: (99) when winning the Bertram F. Bongard S. at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $399,000
Sire: Take Charge Indy
Dam: Rainbow’s Song
Color: Dark bay/brown
El Grande O has already contested three Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers at Aqueduct, finishing sixth in the Champagne, second in the Jerome, and second in the Withers. The Withers took place over 1 1/8 miles, and El Grande O lost by only a nose after leading by three lengths in midstretch, so cutting back to a one-turn mile for the Gotham should help this speedy colt vie for victory.
Bergen
Bergen at Keeneland (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0
Owner: Spendthrift Farm, Martin Schwartz, Gandharvi, Big Easy Racing, Rick Kanter, James J. Bakke, Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber Racing, Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich, and Mark Parkinson
Breeder: Castleton Lyons, Kilboy Estate, and Gavin Tierney
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Manny Franco
Top Speed Rating: (94) when winning the Jimmy Winkfield S. at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $136,975
Sire: Liam’s Map
Dam: Toni’s Hollyday
Color: Gray/roan
Bergen was much the best sprinting six furlongs in the Jimmy Winkfield, winning by 5 1/4 lengths over a field that included Air Cav. But Bergen was beaten in his lone route race to date, finishing second in a one-mile $100,000 allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs, so stretching back out in distance is at least a small question mark.
Eliminate
Eliminate (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 2
Owner: Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable
Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Dylan Davis
Top Speed Rating: (85) when breaking his maiden at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $72,500
Sire: Curlin
Dam: I’m a Looker
Color: Chestnut
A well-bred son of elite sire Curlin, Eliminate lost his first three starts before breaking through in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Aqueduct, winning by one length. But he’ll need to improve upon his career-best 85 Brisnet Speed rating to challenge against tougher foes in the Gotham.
Just a Touch
Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing, and Marc Detampel
Breeder: Don Alberto Corporation
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Top Speed Rating: (97) when winning his debut at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings: $34,200
Sire: Justify
Dam: Touching Beauty
Color: Bay
Just a Touch was the best in his debut, sprinting six furlongs at Fair Grounds, tracking the pace before taking over to win by 4 1/4 lengths with a flashy 97 Brisnet Speed rating. As a son of Triple Crown winner Justify out of Comely (G3) winner Touching Beauty (a daughter of three-time leading North American sire Into Mischief), Just a Touch is bred to shine racing one mile and looks like a serious win threat for high-percentage trainer Brad Cox.
Lightline
Lightline wins at Horseshoe Indiana (Photo by Coady Photography)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 1
Owner: Albaugh Family Stables
Breeder: Town & Country Horse Farms
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
Top Speed Rating: (91) when finishing third in the Withers (G3) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $99,850
Sire: City of Light
Dam: Upperline
Color: Bay
Lightline joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a respectable third-place finish in the Withers, where he finished 2 1/2 lengths behind runner-up El Grande O. Lightline was gaining ground down the homestretch, but he’ll need a bit better to catch El Grande O over Saturday’s shorter distance.
Slider
Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 1
Owner: Hall Racing, Pearl Racing, and West Point Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Jason Hall, Stephen Baker, Herschel Martindale, and Mike Riordan
Trainer: John Sadler
Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Top Speed Rating: (96) when finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $159,600
Sire: Jimmy Creed
Dam: Days Like This
Color: Bay
California raider Slider is best known for winning Santa Anita’s Speakeasy S. on turf, but he’s also run well in three starts on dirt, most notably finishing third in the San Vicente (G2) behind Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up Muth. Slider has talent and class, but he’s yet to run farther than seven furlongs and has a pedigree that suggests sprints may be his forte.
Capital Idea
Capital Idea wins at Aqueduct (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: Reeves Thoroughbred Racing
Breeder: Steven Nicholson and Brandi Nicholson
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Jockey: Trevor McCarthy
Top Speed Rating: (95) when breaking his maiden at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $54,200
Sire: Classic Empire
Dam: Rever de Vous
Color: Bay
Capital Idea looms as a viable win threat after trouncing a one-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct by 8 1/4 lengths. That runaway victory yielded a flashy 95 Brisnet Speed rating. However, Capital Idea’s preferred running style is to settle two or three lengths off the early pace, which sets him up for a wide trip while breaking from post 13.
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