Venue for March 5
 

This time of year, I like to follow the Derby preps; I think a number of you do too. So, this Saturday, our contest trail will lead us to Aqueduct, where the feature race will be the Grade 3 Gotham, a 1 1/16 mile prep for the Wood.

For those of you playing the Derby Dollars contest, the Gotham is the next contest race in that series as well.

I believe that entries will be drawn on Wednesday.

Excellent choice, my friend !!!! Hasn't been a good place to prep for THE DERBY though.... When was the last Gotham/Derby winner???? Easy Goer didn't win the first two legs...

I know of Secretariat and Native Dancer... There may be some more... Looking at the list of probables I don't see a Derby horse in there.... Maybe one will step up and show us sumthin'

It sure has been a while. Come to think of it, there haven't been all that many Gotham/Wood winners either. If I were fortunate enough to have a Derby prospect, I don't think I'd want him to winter in the cold North and workout on the inner track of the Big A. There are too many other places to train and prep where the risk of bad weather is less of a factor.

The Gotham winners of the past few years have been: El Kabeir (2015), Samraat (2014), Vyjack (2013), Hansen (2012), Stay Thirsty (2011), Awesome Act (2010) and I Want Revenge (2009).

Any word on snow for Friday? With a casino at Aqueduct they cancel cards frequently.

RQ, the forecast for Friday in the NY metro area is for snow showers and wind, with high temps in the mid 30's. They have suggested the possibility of 1-3 inches of snow. Not the spring like weather we have been having the past few days.

However, the prediction for Saturday is mostly sunny, with a high in the low 40's and little probability of any precipitation. I just don't think that whatever occurs on Friday will be enough to cancel racing, and certainly shouldn't affect the Saturday card.

The link is to an article from NYRA's press office entitled "Fields Taking Shape for Gotham Weekend"

https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/fields...tham-weekend-/