Shotski headlines a talented field of eight in the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes, a nine-furlong test for sophomores at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday, February 1.

Trained by Jeremiah O'Dwyer, the bay son of Blame earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points winning the Grade 2 Remsen on December 7 at the Big A and he will look to double that total in the Withers, which offers 10-4-2-1 points to the top-four finishers.

Shotski graduated on October 3 at Laurel Park, dominating a nine-horse field by four lengths in a six-furlong maiden sprint. He followed up with a solid fourth in the Street Sense at Churchill Downs, just three-quarters of a length in arrears of third-place Silver Prospector, who came back to win the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club.

Sent to post at odds of 8-1 in his two-turn debut in the Remsen, Shotski led the way under a well-managed trip by Luis Saez and held off a furious charge from Ajaaweed to secure a half-length win.

O'Dwyer credited the heady ride by Saez, who retains the mount from post 5, as a key factor in Shotski's Remsen score, which garnered an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

"What I liked most about his Remsen win was that he put four lengths on the field at the top of the stretch. He ended up only winning by a half-length, but it was his first time going two turns," said O'Dwyer.

Shotski has breezed six times at Laurel Park since the Remsen, including a January 24 five-eighths effort in 1:02 flat. O'Dwyer said Shotski has continued to improve and mature as he prepares for his 3-year-old debut.

"We know he likes the track, and we know he can get the distance," said O'Dwyer. "We're very happy with his training and he's had a good series of works. Physically, he looks very strong."

O'Dwyer said he expects another forwardly placed trip in the Withers.

"He's very adaptable. He showed us that he can be up close to the pace," said O'Dwyer. "He's good from the gate. I would have to think that he would probably be in the first three early on."

Shotski is in 10th place on the Derby points leaderboard making O'Dwyer cautiously optimistic of earning a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

"It's always in the back of your mind," said O'Dwyer. "It's really nice when you sit down and think about the fact that you could possibly have a nice horse for the Kentucky Derby, but it's a long road ahead. If he can step up it'll be another feather in his cap."

Wertheimer and Frere homebred Portos has posted improving Beyers in each of his four starts, culminating in an 84 for his last-out maiden score when travelling nine furlongs over a sloppy Big A main track on New Year's Eve.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the improving Tapit grey is out of 2014 Busanda winner Fierce Boots. His second dam, the stakes-winner Shop Again, produced Grade 1-winner Power Broker.

Portos debuted in August at Saratoga when a rallying fourth in a nine-furlong maiden tilt and followed up with another closing effort to be third in October at Keeneland. In November, Portos switched tactics battling on the lead with the well-regarded Country Grammer ahead of an impressive 10 3/4-length maiden score.

Byron Hughes, New York-based assistant to Pletcher, said Portos has trained forwardly into the Withers.

"He's doing well. He came out of his last race in good shape. It was his fourth start and he's continued to mature each time he's gone into the gate," said Hughes. "We really think he appreciates going two turns, so we were glad to see him break his maiden the way he did in his last start. It looks like a talented field, but he's certainly shown us enough in the mornings to think he can compete, especially at the distance."

Pletcher is a three-time Withers winner having captured the Derby prep with Harlem Rocker (2008), Revolutionary (2013) and Far From Over (2015).

Portos will leave from the outside post under Jose Lezcano, who is currently the leading rider at the Aqueduct winter meet with 42 wins.

Cash is King and LC Racing's Monday Morning Qb will make his graded-stakes debut out of a hard-fought three-quarter length score in the Heft on December 28 at Laurel Park.

Trained by Robert Reid, the dark bay son of Imagining graduated at second asking when sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs at Parx in November, earning a personal-best 85 Beyer.

Last out, in the seven-furlong Heft under returning pilot Jorge Vargas, Jr., Monday Morning Qb rallied through the turn and took command at the at the three-sixteenths pole before holding off a late charge from Withers rival New Commission.

Reid said Monday Morning Qb has room for improvement off his winning stakes debut.

"He made a couple of mistakes in his last start and didn't break that cleanly and he switched leads after he turned for home," said Reid. "So, there's a couple of things we've been trying to refine and work on since his last start, but he's been doing better in the mornings. Now, he just has to prove it in the afternoon."

Monday Morning Qb will make his first start around two-turns in the Withers, which Reid said should suit the Maryland-bred colt.

"I don't think it'll be a problem with his pedigree," said Reid. "He's had a few three-quarter gallops in him and he has a good head on his shoulders. I know it's a big jump from seven-eighths to a mile and an eighth around two turns, but I think he's up to it."

Monday Morning Qb will leave from post 2.

Vanzzy, trained by Michael Pino for Smart Angle, will enter the Grade 3 Withers off of a driving half-length score in the Display at Woodbine Racetrack.

Vanzzy debuted in September at Parx in a strong maiden tilt won by the undefeated graded-stakes winner Independence Hall, and graduated at second asking in a one-mile maiden event on October 14.

After finishing second in his stakes debut on November 5 in the Parx Juvenile, Vanzzy shipped north to Woodbine on December 14 and made all the running under Patrick Husbands.

"He was first-time blinkers last time and the added ground helped," said Pino. "He's mature but he's a slow maturing horse. He's not a crack sprinter type horse. Hopefully, he can step up and learn again next out."

Junior Alvarado picks up the mount aboard Vanzzy from post 7.

Trainer Linda Rice, who recently notched her 2,000th career victory, will saddle Prince of Pharoahs and Max Player as she looks to secure her first Withers win.

Darlene Bilinski and Harry Patten's Prince of Pharoahs graduated at second asking in his dirt debut at Belmont Park on October 13. The dark bay son of 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah returned on New Year's Day to finish a chasing second to the undefeated Independence Hall in the Jerome.

"He's been training very well since his last start," said Rice. "He's received enough time off to since his start in the Jerome and showed us enough in the mornings for us to think he's talented enough to compete."

George Hall's Max Player will make his Big A debut after two strong efforts at Parx in one-mile maiden events to start his career. The dark bay Honor Code colt finished second at first asking on November 12, and showed marked improvement on December 17 when drawing off to a 4 1/4-length score on a sloppy track over next-out winner Irish Cork.

"He's was a little green when he first joined us but he's starting to mature and behave more professionally," said Rice. "He's put in a nice couple of breezes since breaking his maiden, so we think he deserves a shot in here to see where he ranks among his peers."

Kendrick Carmouche will guide Prince of Pharoahs from post 6, while Max Player will emerge from post 3 under Dylan Davis.

New Commission, a Georgia-bred son of Field Commission owned and trained by Diane Day, boasts a record of 1-2-0 from five starts. The chestnut colt endured wide trips in his first three starts before utilizing a front-running effort to graduate by a widening 12 1/4-lengths on December 1 on a Parx main track rated good. Last out, New Commission made a menacing late run to miss by less than a length in the Heft.

Abner Adorno retains the mount from post 4.

Mr. Shortandsimple, owned and trained by Rudy Rodriquez, has won two of four career starts. The bay son of Pioneerof the Nile, bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, prevailed by a narrow nose last out in a one-mile $50,000 claiming event on December 30 at Aqueduct.

Reylu Gutierrez will pilot Mr. Shortandsimple in his stakes debut from the inside post.

The Withers is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's nine-race card, featuring a 1 p.m. first post.

Linda Rice set to enter Max Player in Withers

With 28 victories entering Sunday's live racing card to lead the Aqueduct Winter Meet trainer standings, conditioner Linda Rice, who recently surpassed 2,000 wins, has no plans slowing down heading into the month of February.

Rice will look to enter George Hall's Max Player in Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Withers which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the first four finishers.

The 3-year-old Honor Code colt finished second on debut going a mile on November 12 at Parx after breaking from the outermost seventh post. He returned to break his maiden at second asking over a sloppy track sporting blinkers for the first time on December 17 at Parx, drawing off to win by 4 ¼ lengths.

Max Player breezed five furlongs in 1:02.88 over the Belmont training track on Friday and Rice said the Withers would be a good test to see where he stands among the 3-year-old crop.

"He's actually been a bit green in his races," said Rice. "He definitely needs more seasoning but I was happy with his work this week. He's starting to behave a little more professionally and we're planning to run him in the Withers. He's getting better and will be a good test to see where he stands."

Vanzzy, trained by Michael Pino for Smart Angle, will enter the Grade 3 Withers off of a driving half-length score in the Display at Woodbine Racetrack.

The Verrazano bay breezed a half-mile in 49.27 seconds on January 24 on the Parx main track in his third breeze back following the two-turn score over the Woodbine Tapeta.

"The Withers is the plan," said Pino. "He worked in really good company the other day and galloped out strong. We're pretty happy with him."

Vanzzy, bred in Kentucky by Alexander-Groves Thoroughbreds, is out of the multiple stakes-winning dam Selva. He was purchased for $70,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

"He showed good balance and was a nice looking horse. He had all the things you look for in a young horse and he looked like he would route," said Pino.

Vanzzy, who made his first three starts at his Parx base, debuted in September in a strong maiden tilt won by the undefeated graded-stakes winner Independence Hall. He graduated at second asking in a one-mile maiden event on October 14 and was second to Mischievous Alex on November 5 in the Parx Juvenile after bobbling at the start from the inside post.

"He was inside and had a tough start, but we weren't beating the winner that day. We might have been a closer second," said Pino.

Vanzzy made all the running in the Display on December 14 at Woodbine under Patrick Husbands.

"He was first-time blinkers last time and the added ground helped," said Pino. "He's mature but he's a slow maturing horse. He's not a crack sprinter type horse. Hopefully, he can step up and learn again next out."

Trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer still has Grade 2 Remsen winner Shotski on track for the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers, on February 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

O'Dwyer said that the son of Blame will likely breeze on Friday morning at his Laurel Park base.

"He'll go a nice five eighths and we'll see how he is after that, but the plan is to come up to New York," O'Dwyer said.

Owned by Adam Wachtel, Gary Barber, Pantofel Stable and Mike Karty, Shotski gave O'Dwyer his first graded stakes win as a trainer in the Remsen. Coincidentally, O'Dwyer regularly worked with Shotski's sire Blame while working under trainer Al Stall, Jr.

"Blame was the first good horse I was around so it's nice that my first graded stakes winner is by him," O'Dwyer said. "It's just kind of the way it worked out. We go to the sales and just look for nice individuals. He looks very much likes his dad, I think he stamped him well. Working for a good guy like Al was special, and he's very good to call if I need advice."

Shotski was acquired for $25,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

"We're just looking for the nice individual with potential," O'Dwyer said. "Once you can take your time with a horse, it gives you chance to develop them and see their true potential. Any nice horse is going to show you some talent early. When we go to the sale, it has to be something you like, but hopefully they're horses that are going to be around for a while."

Another thrifty acquisition by O'Dwyer is Needs Supervision, who gave the young conditioner his first stakes victory when she won the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds last year. The daughter of Paynter is entered at Laurel in Saturday's $100,000 What A Summer, but could alter course if weather is a factor and race in the $100,000 Interborough on Monday at Aqueduct.

"We have her in at Laurel on Saturday and we're happy with her. Hopefully the weather stays good. The race on Monday in New York is a possible back up," O'Dwyer said.

Others under consideration for the Withers include Ajaaweed, Bourbon Bay, Monday Morning Qb, Portos and War Stopper.

Salerno Stables' War Stopper raced his way into consideration for the Grade 3 Withers with a four-length maiden score on January 11 that garnered a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trained by Rudy Rodriquez, the Declaration of War chestnut made his first two starts on the turf before switching to dirt on December 7 where he bobbled at the start en route to finishing fifth under Joel Rosario.

Last out, with blinkers on for new pilot Jorge Vargas, Jr., War Stopper broke sharp and made all the running in the one-mile tilt.

"It was very impressive. He always showed that he could be a good horse, so hopefully he can keep improving. We've always thought highly of him, but we never got a chance to really see him run," said Rodriguez. "He tried a couple times on the grass and then Joel Rosario said to give him a try with blinkers. Last time, with the blinkers on, he broke very sharp and was in control of the situation from the gate."

Rodriguez said War Stopper doesn't necessarily have to be on the lead. Should they contest the nine-furlong Withers on February 1, he'll again have Vargas, Jr. in the irons.

"I don't think he needs the lead. We've schooled him to take dirt and trained him the right way," said Rodriguez. "But, we don't want to change anything now. If he breaks good, see where he takes you. Jorge knows the horse well now."

Rodriguez will saddle recent claim Mr. Dougie Fresh in Friday's seventh race at the Big A, a 6 1/2-furlong optional-claiming sprint. The 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Ghostzapper, previously trained by Jason Servis, was haltered for $62,500 for Repole Stable. He makes his first start for new connections in a field that includes multiple-graded stakes winner Call Paul and Joevia, the Long Branch winner who finished third last out in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

"We took a chance on him and the horse has come back in good shape. Hopefully, he'll keep running the way he ran for Jason," said Rodriguez. "Mike (Repole) and I talked about it and we decided to cut him back. Jason tried him a couple times at a mile, but looking back he ran good races going seven-eighths and three-quarters and that's why we claimed him - to try a little shorter. He's acting like a nice horse and he's got a nice body."

Once a centerpiece of the season for 3-year-olds, the Withers Stakes has been won by some of the greats of the U.S. turf, among them Sir Barton, Man o' War, Alsab, Count Fleet, Polynesian, Hill Prince, Native Dancer, Dr. Fager, and Ack Ack.

Since 2012 it has been held in late January or early February, and it is now an integral part of Aqueduct's Road to the Kentucky Derby. The first four horses to finish earn points, split on a 10-4-2-1 basis.

Many horses that run in the first Aqueduct 3-year-old race on the Derby trail, the Jerome Stakes, return for the Withers. Last year El Areeb became the first horse to win both races since the Road to the Kentucky Derby began.