Predicteform.com’s Upset Watch: Withers Stakes
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Tencendur won inpressively on Jan. 19 at Aqueduct and has a chance to spring an upset at a nice price on Saturday in the Withers Stakes. (Photo by Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
The Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes, a Kentucky Derby prep race on Saturday at Aqueduct, is where we find this week’s upset special: Tencendur (12-1 on the morning line).
The field of seven runners features two big favorites in Classy Class (2-1) and El Kaieber (8-5). And, with a short field and two strong favorites, value and opportunity await if you can find the longshot.
Tencendur is in very good form heading into his third lifetime start. His last race was better than it looks as he got free late and won rather easily while being anxiously ridden by an inexperienced rider.
Visually speaking, the horse looks like he will like the added distance and, in only his third lifetime start, has potential to improve. He picks up a more experienced jockey in Cornelio Velasquez and is trained by George Weaver, an excellent trainer who wins at a 20% clip at Aqueduct.
A ground-saving trip close to the rail and a late closing kick would be his ideal running style in this field.
$250,000 Grade 3 Withers StakesRace 8 at Aqueduct on Saturday, Post Time 4:13 p.m. ET1 1/16 miles on the dirt for 3-year-olds
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
Classy Class
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
116
Kiaran McLaughlin
2-1
2
Far From Over
Manuel Franco
116
Todd Pletcher
5-1
3
March
Jose Ortiz
116
Chad Brown
6-1
4
Tencendur
Cornelio Velasquez
116
George Weaver
12-1
5
Unrivaled
Frankie Pennington
116
Marya Montoya
20-1
6
General Bellamy
Junior Alvarado
116
Bill Mott
15-1
7
El Kabeir
CC Lopez
122
John Terranova, II
8-5