El Areeb Aims to Continue Roll in Withers Stakes

After three straight dominating wins, including an 11 1/4-length score in the Jerome Stakes (G3) Jan. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack, 3-year-old El Areeb is back for a crack at the $250,000 Withers Stakes (G3) Feb. 4.

M M G Stables' El Areeb has won his past three starts by a combined 25 1/4 lengths. He rolled to a maiden win in a six-furlong test Oct. 15 at Laurel Park in his third attempt and then won the James F. Lewis III Stakes at the same distance there Nov. 19 to close out the year.

Stretched out to the one-mile-and-70-yard Jerome distance by trainer Cathal Lynch, the Exchange Rate colt responded with his best performance to date, drawing off through the stretch on the muddy track. Regular rider Trevor McCarthy is scheduled to ride the gray or roan colt out of the A.P. Indy mare Feathered Dreams.

ANGST: El Areeb Delivers Dominating Performance in Jerome

"We've always thought he was going to be a two-turn horse, and he's just been getting better and better," Lynch said. "Most of his works here in the morning are around two turns. We gave him a sharp work yesterday, but most of his works in the morning are around a mile to a mile-and-an-eighth to a -quarter, and it seems the farther he goes the better."

El Areeb will stretch out a bit to 1 1/16 miles in the Withers, which is a points race (10 to the winner, then 4-2-1 for the next three finishers) for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

All three of the top finishers from the Jerome are back. Todd Pletcher will send out Three Diamonds Farm's Bonus Points, who picked up a third straight stakes placing when second in the Jerome. Calumet Farm's True Timber finished third in the Jerome for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, in what was the stakes debut for the Mineshaft   colt.

The expected field of 10 includes Square Shooter, who will make his 3-year-old debut after winning his first two starts at Parx Racing. Campaigned by Gold Square and trained by Michael Lerman, the son of Trappe Shot   will try two turns for the first time.

Also stretching out to two turns for the first time is Victory Racing Partners' Always a Suspect, who enters off a runner-up finish in the six-furlong Lost in the Fog Stakes Jan. 1 at Aqueduct. McLaughlin trains both Always a Suspect and True Timber.

"We're in tough, but we want to try," McLaughlin said. "True Timber should improve off his last run. He's still learning and only had three races, so we're looking forward to see some improvement. Always a Suspect, we're trying to stretch out and see where we stand as well."

Trainer Dale Romans will send out the well-traveled J Boys Echo, who finished fourth in the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3) in November. The son of Mineshaft will be starting at a fourth different track in his fourth start.

Pletcher also has entered Fillet of Sole, who scored a maiden win in November going a mile at Parx.