Sunny Ridge Tough to Topple in Gotham Stakes

Sunny Ridge (center) might be tough to beat in Saturday's Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by NYRA/Chelsea Durand)
The 64th running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct is another step on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for eight runners who are hoping to earn the winner's share of 50 points which pretty much guarantees a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. Sunny Ridge won the precursor to this race, the Withers Stakes, at the end of January and continues to be a rising star in the division so must be beaten. Withers third-place finisher Adventist makes only the third start of his career and may play a big role in the outcome.
Conquest Big E was no factor when fourth in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January but may find improvement in New York. Laoban passed the Risen Star Stakes a couple of weeks back for this spot and did run decently enough versus similar company when third in the Sham Stakes in California in January. Mo Power and Shagaf try two turns for the first time off wins around one turn in Florida and can improve, while Rally Cry also ventures from Florida off a third-place finish and will attempt a route for the first time. Vincento finished fourth as the favorite in the state-bred Gander Stakes last month and needs to turn his form around.
Sunny Ridge is the kind of horse handicappers like at this time of year as he has improved in every start since his debut last June. After missing by a neck in the Delta Jackpot in November, Sunny Ridge made his 3-year-old debut at the end of January in the Withers Stakes and not only earned a career-best 106 Equibase Speed Figure but also showed the kind of physical ability and determination that a horse needs these final months leading up to the Derby. Battling head-and-head for the lead from the half-mile mark until deep stretch, Sunny Ridge still had something left to pull away by three-quarters of a length at the end. Jockey Manny Franco was aboard for the first time in the Withers and now that he's more familiar with his charge, combined with likely improvement second off the two month layoff, Sunny Ridge looks formidable in this year's Gotham Stakes.
Adventist won his debut, a six furlong sprint, by 11 lengths in mid-December, earning an 88 figure. Six weeks later he not only moved right into stakes company, but tried two turns for the first time, finishing third behind Sunny Ridge in the Withers and improving to a 103 figure. Coming back with a very sharp five furlong workout that was the best of 38 on the day at the distance, and with jockey Kendrick Carmouche riding again after getting familiar with him in the Withers, it is certainly within the realm of possibility that Adventist improve by leaps and bounds to post the upset in this race.
Conquest Big E ran the best race of his career in his second lifetime start, last October, at the distance of the Withers, earning a 100 figure in a field of nine in spite of being hampered at the start. His next start came in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but he didn't run much and finished ninth. Cut back to one turn Conquest Big E rebounded with a win and a strong 97 figure before regressing again when fourth behind current Derby favorite Mohaymen in the Holy Bull Stakes. One of four horses shipping in from Gulfstream Park, he gets the services of Jose Ortiz, tied for leading rider with his brother Irad. Making his second start off a two month layoff, if Conquest Big E rebounds off a poor effort as he's done previously, he too could have a big say in the outcome of the Gotham.
The rest of the field, with their best representative Equibase Speed Figures, is Laoban (90), Mo Power (80), Shagaf (90), Rally Cry (101) and Vincento (96)
My selections:Sunny RidgeAdventistConquest Big E
$400,000 Gotham StakesSaturday, Aqueduct, Race 9, 4:50 p.m. ET1 1/16 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

Odds

1

Laoban

Aaron Gryder

Eric Guillot

McCormick Racing and Southern Equine Stable

TBD

2

Shagaf

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Chad Brown

Shadwell Stable

TBD

3

Adventist

Kendrick Carmouche

Leah Gyarmati

Treadway Racing Stable

TBD

4

Vincento

Angel Arroyo

Rudy Rodriguez

Vincent S. Scuderi

TBD

5

Mo Power

John Velazquez

Todd Pletcher

Repole Stable

TBD

6

Conquest Big E

Jose Ortiz

Mark Casse

Conquest Stables

TBD

7

Sunny Ridge

Manny Franco

Jason Servis

Dennis A. Drazin

TBD

8

Rally Cry

Junior Alvarado

Todd Pletcher

Paul P. Pompa Jr.

TBD