Wednesday, February 01 2012

WILL ALPHA REIGN SUPREME IN WITHERS?

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On the first Saturday in May, only 20 hopefuls will get to line up in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby. On Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, seven 3-year-olds will try to take a big step on the road to the Derby in the 132nd running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Withers.

“The Withers is an important race because it’s graded and you don’t get to run in the Derby unless you have those graded stakes earnings,” said Kiaran McLaughlin, who will saddle Alpha, the even-money favorite on the morning line, in the 1 1/16-mile Withers. “When you look at the schedule, you start with the first Saturday in May, and work back from there. We are taking the Withers as an important step, and maybe, maybe, afterward we’ll talk about what we’re going to do.”