Road to the KY Derby Continues with Grade 3 Gotham Stakes

El Kabeir is the 8/5 morning line favorite for trainer John Terranova, and missed winning his third consecutive graded stakes race last out, finishing second in the Grade 3 Withers.  Prior to that effort, El Kabeir reeled off consecutive wins in the Grade 2 Jockey Club Stakes and Grade 3 Jerome Stakes.  The gray or roan son of Scat Daddy out of an Unbridled’s Song mare has won three of seven career starts for earnings of $438,892. 

Classy Class tries stakes foes again 

Kiaran McLaughlin will saddle 7/2 second choice Classy Class who finished third behind El Kabeir in the Withers.  Classy Class broke his maiden October 25 at Belmont and went straight into stakes competition from there, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Remsen.  The son of Discreetly Mine will be in search of his second career win.  

Inexperienced Pletcher trio make stakes debut 

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out a trio of runners competing as an entry with the lightly-raced Don’tbewithbruno, Uninfluenced, and Blame Jim making their stakes debuts.  All three runners have just a maiden victory to their credit.  Don’tbewithbruno notched his first win at Aqueduct February 1 with Uninfluenced scoring over the local surface on February 22.  Blame Jim ships in from Gulfstream after recording his maiden win as a two year-old at Saratoga.