Tipsheet: 2023 Jerome Stakes

A talented field of eight three-year-olds will travel one-mile on the Aqueduct main surface in Saturday’s $150,000 Jerome S. The 2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series tilt will reward the top-five finishers with qualifying points on a 10-4-3-2-1 structure.

Jerome Stakes Selections

• #6 Arctic Arrogance
• #1 Neural Network
• #4 Lugan Knight
• #5 Andiamo A Firenze

Jerome Stakes Wagers

• $30 win: #6 Arctic Arrogance
• $10 exacta box: 1 with 6
• $.50-cent superfecta: 1,6 with 1,4,5,6 with 1,4,5,6 with all

Jerome Stakes Contenders

#1 NEURAL NETWORK (7-2) handled both a muddy surface, and a tricky seven-furlong distance, when driving home a dominant debut winner for conditioner Chad Brown. The dark bay son of Cloud Computing toppled what might turn out to be a solid field while registering a robust 106 Brisnet Late Pace figure, indicating that the added ground will pose no problem on Saturday. Manny Franco will be in the stirrups.

#2 CIRCLING THE DRAIN (12-1) trounced maiden claiming foes in his second career try for Brittany Russell and will take a huge class rise on this occasion. The West Coast gelding has flashed potential in each of his career assignments to date, but the Maryland-bred will still be something of a surprise against this deep field with Jevian Toledo in the controls.

#3 VALENZAN DAY (10-1) will make a first run off the claim for Linda Rice exiting a seven-length optional claiming romp on the surface last time out. The son of Khozan boasts fine current form with four consecutive top-two performances as of late, and the chestnut rates an exotics chance if he can prove capable of handling one mile at the level. Jose Gomez inherits the mount.

#4 LUGAN KNIGHT (4-1) has flashed considerable potential from three sprints for Mike McCarthy. The Goldencents colt gives the impression of a youngster who will appreciate more ground to work with going forward, and I thought that his recent third-place run beneath the Twin Spires was a fine prep for Saturday. The bay homebred picks up pilot Dylan Davis.

#5 ANDIAMO A FIRENZE (6-1) finished a game second in the New York Breeders’ Futurity S. last time out and looks to be the one to catch in the heat. The Kelly Breen pupil is a Grade 3-placed stakes winner with big speed and a lot of talent, and the Speightstown colt could get brave if left alone on the front end beneath new rider Kendrick Carmouche.

#6 ARCTIC ARROGANCE (8-5) rates as the one to beat coming off a fine juvenile campaign for trainer Linda Rice. The gray son of Frosted looked the part in dominating the Sleepy Hollow S. two back, which preceded a huge runner-up try in the recent Remsen S. (G2) on the oval. The New York-bred colt has speed and is able to carry it, and the favorite figures to sit a dream trip while forcing the pace from the start. Regular pilot Jose Lezcano will be in the stirrups.

#7 GENERAL BANKER (8-1) has shown marked improvement since adding blinkers three back and looms a top-three chance with continued ascension. The James Ferraro trainee ran off to a superb stakes tally on the course in his latest endeavor, and the dark bay son of Central Banker will be a major threat on this day with anything resembling that run. Eric Cancel will have the rising colt rallying from off of the early pace on Saturday.

#8 NARCISO DALI (20-1) broke through with a runaway victory while facing maiden claiming foes last time out, but the gelding will have to prove to me that he can duplicate that performance against a field of this caliber. Katie Davis stays in the silks.