Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Not That Brady back on track
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The announcement last week that the unbeaten Instagrand was shipping from California for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham at Aqueduct seems to have prompted a change of plans for some horsemen, reducing what was looking like a full field to one that may number eight when entries are taken Wednesday.
Zenden, High Crime, Mr. Ankeny, and Spun to Run have been withdrawn from consideration for the Gotham. On Monday, trainer Todd Pletcher said Federal Case would skip the Gotham to run in the Grade 3 Hutcheson going six furlongs on March 23 at Gulfstream Park.
One horse who appears to be back in the Gotham mix is Not That Brady, who on Sunday worked five furlongs in 1:02.98 over Aqueduct’s main track. Not That Brady, beaten a head by Tax in the Grade 3 Withers on Feb. 2, has been dealing with a quarter crack on his right front foot that forced him to miss one workout.
The quarter crack was patched Friday. Though Aqueduct was closed for training on Saturday and again on Monday due to inclement weather, trainer Rudy Rodriguez was able to get a work in Sunday.
“Everything went perfect, looks like he came back good,” said Rodriguez, who was aboard the gelding for the workout, done in company with the 4-year-old maiden Orbed.
On Monday, Rodriguez texted “so far, so good” when asked how Not That Brady came out of the work.
Both of Not That Brady’s victories have come at a oneturn mile, including a threelength victory over New Yorkbreds in Damon Runyon Stakes. The Withers was at 1 1/8 miles.
Apprentice jockey Reylu Gutierrez will retain the mount for the Gotham.
Also working Sunday for the Gotham was longshot Family Biz, who went six furlongs in 1:14.84 at Aqueduct. Family Biz, trained by Eddie Barker, finished third in the Jerome and fourth in the Jimmy Winkfield.
Barker said he opted to take a shot in the Gotham based on the way Family Biz has been training the last three weeks. Barker said Kendrick Carmouche breezed the horse Sunday and will ride him in the Gotham.
Instagrand, who has not run since winning the Best Pal Stakes by 10 1/4 lengths on Aug. 11 at Del Mar, was scheduled to work Tuesday in California for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and ship to New York on Wednesday along with the Bob Baffert-trained Much Better.
The Gotham offers 85 qualifying points to its top four finishers (50-20-10-5) to the May 4 Kentucky Derby.
As of Monday, the Gotham field, with riders, was: Family Biz (Carmouche), Haikal (Rajiv Maragh), Instagrand (Javier Castellano), Knicks Go (Jose Lezcano), Mind Control (John Velazquez), Much Better (Junior Alvarado), Not That Brady (Gutierrez), and Tikhvin Flew (Dylan Davis).
Please Flatter Me works
At Pimlico on Sunday, the undefeated Please Flatter Me worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds, the fastest of 21 breezes at the distance. Please Flatter Me is preparing for a start in Saturday’s $250,000 Busher Invitational at Aqueduct.
“She did that in an open gallop,” trainer Mark Reid said. “I had Alex Cintron on her, and he said, ‘Mark, I never asked her at any point.’ He said, ‘I thought she went in 49,’ which is always a good sign.”
Cintron has ridden Please Flatter Me in her last two starts.
Please Flatter Me is 3 for 3, having won twice at Penn National and the Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel by 5 3/4 lengths on Dec. 29. While briefly being considered for the Ruthless Stakes here Jan. 27, Please Flatter Me was held out of that race to await the Busher, run at one mile.
“The owners were more interested in this one,” said Reid, who trains Please Flatter Me for Madaket Stables and the Heider Family Stable. “She missed a few days of training prior to that because of the weather. She keeps herself fit. We thought let’s go on to what we’re trying to accomplish, which is get her stretched out.”
The Ruthless was won by Ujjayi, whose only two losses came to Please Flatter Me. Ujjayi vanned from Penn National to Aqueduct on Sunday to continue preparations for the Busher.
Trainer Erin McClellan said Ujjayi shipped early because she feared the Penn National track might be closed more than just one day due to inclement weather. She hoped to breeze Ujjayi three furlongs on Tuesday at Aqueduct.
The Busher field, with riders, is expected to be: Always Shopping (Manny Franco), Espresso Shot (Eric Cancel), Filly Joel (Jeffrey Sanchez), It Justhitthe Wire (Dylan Davis), Oxy Lady (Javier Castellano), Please Flatter Me (Cintron), Orra Moor (John Velazquez), Shelley Ann (Reylu Gutierrez), and Ujjayi (Tyler Conner).
The Busher offers 85 qualifying points (50-20-10-5) to its top four finishers to the May 3 Kentucky Oaks.