Klaravich Stables ‘regarded’ Vote early took it one step further on January 23 when the foal recorded a half-mile job on Belmont Park track training in preparation for $250,000 Withers Staking (G3) on February 5 at Aqueduct race track.
The nine-long Withers provided points for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on a 10-4-2-1 scale for the top four finishers.
Son trained by Chad Brown of 2021, top freshman stallion Gunman completed the race four times in: 49.41 on the fast track with jockey Jose Ortiz on board. The Wind is his third entry after his first-ever debut win on December 18 at the Aqueduct.
“He’s been very productive this morning. Jose was on board and I’m very pleased with the job,” said Belmont’s Brown-based assistant Dan Stupp.
Overcoming his first man in one leg, Early Voting remained clear in Ortiz’s backround while battling two other runners up front. He was against a late protest from Matt Doyle to win by 1 1/2 length.
Early voting seems to be following a similar path to that of a stable friend Take risks who caught Withers last year after his maiden grades.
“I think venturing is a more advanced training horse,” says Stupp. “With Early Voting you can see the possibility, but he’s got a bit of a green action. He’s had a lot to learn and grow, he’s got some physical maturity, but life His first race has helped him progress quite a bit. Mentally, he’s still a work in progress but you can definitely see progress from that first win. saw him run back.”
Cooke Creek Wins 2021 Rocky Run Stakes at Delaware Park
Another probable candidate for Withers is Cheyenne Stable’s Cooke Creek who last crossed the half-mile on: 50.58 January 19 on the Belmont Park training track.
Trainee Jeremiah O’Dwyer finished third last as favorite in the January 1 Jerome Stakes Courvoisier and Smarten Up .
“(Cooke Creek will) get another breeze in Belmont — I’d love it to be Saturday, but I’ll have to see what the weather is like,” O’Dwyer said. “If all goes well, he’ll have a 5-minute breeze next week and then run in the Withers.”
Cooke Creek made the first two starts at Delaware Park, winning the 5 1/2 feathers specials in September ahead of a half-way score driving around two turns there in the one-mile Rocky Run Stakes in October. He entered Jerome from a runner-up attempt to Rockefeller on 7 November Nashua Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.
Although Cooke Creek won two Kentucky Derby points for his third-place attempt with Jerome and is currently 25th in the leaderboard, O’Dwyer said he hasn’t thought about Saturday first. in May.
“Withers is going to be another test,” said O’Dwyer. “You always hope you can get a Derby, but they have to progress to get there.” “This is the path we’re on and I think it’s a good position for him, two turns up there. He looks fit and healthy and I think two turns will help him. .”
