Gotham distance back at mile

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The Gotham Stakes for 3-year-olds will revert to a one-turn mile next year and is one of 18 stakes that had its distance adjusted for 2018 as the New York Racing Association released its stakes schedules for Aqueduct’s winter and spring seasons.

From 1960-2005, 43 of 46 runnings of the Gotham were contested at one mile over the main track. Starting in 2006, the Gotham was carded at 1 1/16 miles around two turns and conducted over Aqueduct’s inner track. NYRA has replaced the inner track with a turf course, and all dirt races here are contested over the main track, which is 1 1/8 miles in circumference. Thus, management had to decide what to do with its trio of 3-year-old stakes, all of which offer qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs.

The Jerome, previously run at one mile and 70 yards, will be run as a one-turn mile Jan. 1. The Withers, previously run at 1 1/16 miles, will be run at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 3. Both of those races divide 17 Derby points (10-4-21) to the top four finishers. The Gotham, on March 10, splits 85 Derby points (50-20-10-5) to its top four finishers. The Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, anchor of Aqueduct’s sprint meet, offers 170 points (100-4020-10) and remains at 1 1/8 miles April 7.

Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior vice president of racing operations, said in talking to trainers there was no consensus as to how best to adjust the distances of those races. In the end, this allows horses further ahead in their development to run 1 1/8 miles in February and perhaps skip the Gotham and await the Wood.

“If you’re a late developer, then the Gotham to the Wood probably makes a little bit of sense,” Panza said. “We’ll try it this way and see how it works. If we need to adjust it for 2019, we will.”

For 3-year-old fillies, the $100,000 Busanda Stakes (Jan. 21) has been changed to 1 1/8 miles from a mile and 70 yards, while the Busher (March 3) has been shortened to a mile from 1 1/16 miles while getting a $50,000 purse increase to $200,000. Both of those races offer qualifying points to the Kentucky Oaks.

In 2017, NYRA scrapped the Fred “Cappy” Capossela Stakes. This year, NYRA has dropped the Lost in the Fog Stakes, meaning there will be no sixfurlong stakes for 3-year-olds. Panza said those races drew short fields or didn’t fill at all.

The Jimmy Winkfield has gone from six to seven furlongs and will be run Feb. 10. It received a $50,000 purse increase to $150,000.

Overall, there will be 36 stakes worth $4,045,000 during the winter meet that runs from Jan. 1 through March 31. There are two new stakes for older New York-breds – the $100,000 La Verdad (Jan. 6) for fillies and mares and the Say Florida Sandy for males (Jan. 13) – both at seven furlongs.

There will be 15 stakes worth $3 million offered during the Aqueduct spring meet that runs from April 6-22. The April 7 card includes the Wood Memorial, the Grade 1 Carter, Grade 2 Gazelle, Grade 3 Excelsior (back to 1 1/8 miles), and Grade 3 Bay Shore. Two new turf sprint stakes include the $100,000 Bridgetown for 3-year-olds and the Mizdirection for 3-year-old fillies.