Max Player to Target Wood Memorial Next Start

George Hall's Max Player, trained by Linda Rice and patiently piloted by Dylan Davis, proved resilient in overcoming a difficult trip to win the Feb. 1 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"He's not seasoned enough to handle the kickback yet. He hasn't handled it well, but Dylan did a good job of keeping him close enough to contention and getting him outside to where he could get comfortable," Rice said. 

Rice said the colt was in good order Sunday morning and will target the April 4 Wood Memorial (G2), run at nine furlongs at Aqueduct, where points toward a spot in the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) will be available to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 scale.

"He looks good this morning," Rice said. "He came out of the race great and looks happy and playful. We'll head on to the Wood Memorial."

The next step on the New York path to the Kentucky Derby is the March 7 Gotham Stakes (G3), a one-turn mile offering Derby points on a 50-20-10-5 scale, but Rice said she prefers to continue at a distance of ground with the improving colt.

"I really don't want to shorten him up in the Gotham. I don't think that serves our purposes," she said. "We're happier to stay here and train into the Wood and go from there."

Max Player made his first two starts at Parx Racing, finishing second in his Nov. 12 debut before a 4 1/4-length score Dec. 17.

Rice said the colt showed marked improvement Saturday.

"I've seen a lot of improvement in him in the last 60 days. In the 60 days before that, he was moving forward by leaps and bounds, and yesterday was a great experience for him," she said. "Hopefully, he'll continue to improve in the next 60 days prior to the Wood, because he's certainly going to have to be at the top of his game in that caliber of race."

Trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer said Withers runner-up and favorite Shotski, owned by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable, and Howling Pigeon Farms, was in fine fettle Sunday.

"He came out of the race good. I'm very happy with him, and we'll give him a couple of easy days before heading back to the track," O'Dwyer said.

The trainer said both the Gotham and Feb. 29 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), run at 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park, are under consideration for Shotski's next start.

Trainer Michael Pino said Daniel Ryan's Vanzzy was also in good order Sunday after being eased to the wire in the Withers.

"He cooled out good, scoped good, and jogged on down the road good," Pino said. "He's fine this morning. (Junior Alvarado) said he felt a bit of a short stride and grabbed him.

"He's a funny horse. When (New Commission) came outside him, he might have come out of the bit and his stride felt funny, so he grabbed him. But at one point, I thought we were looking good. He seemed very comfortable."

Pino said he will take a wait-and-see approach with Vanzzy before contemplating a next start.

"The main thing is to see that he is good in his training, and right now I'm confident that he is," he said. "For now, I'm just trying to get over the whole deal. It's not an easy game."

Mr. Shortandsimple is also doing well the day after being eased in the Withers, owner and trainer Rudy Rodriguez said.

"He looks good. (Jockey) Reylu (Gutierrez) said he got pretty tired, and he was trying to protect him," Rodriguez said. "But he came back good and looked good this morning. Probably the distance was a little too much for him right now."

Rodriguez said he does not have a next spot picked out for Mr. Shortandsimple but plans to train up Salerno Stables' maiden winner War Stopper to the Gotham.

Trainer Eric Guillot also reported that Southern Equine Stable's debut winner Sixto would likely point to the Gotham.

"That's likely where we'll go," Guillot said. "I think he's going to be a nice horse. He's named after my No. 1 traveling man over the years, Sixto Chavez. He's been my main man with a lot of grade 1 horses. We'll see what the race looks like when the time goes and take it from there."