Tipsheet: 2022 Withers Stakes

A big field of 11 three-year-olds will go postward in Saturday’s $250,000 Withers S. (G3) at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile test is a 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series event, with the top-four earning finishers points on a 10-4-2-1 structure.

Withers Stakes Picks

• #9 Early Voting
• #2 Grantham
• #4 Gilded Age
• #8 Un Ojo

Withers Stakes Wagers

• $20 win and place 9
• $4 exacta key box 9 with 2,4,8
• $2 trifecta 9 with 2,4,8 with all

Withers Stakes Contenders

#1 CONSTITUTIONLAWYER broke through at Aqueduct and at the distance last time with a strong maiden tally in the mud. The son of Constitution is bred to run long and he has a fine foundation under him with a trio of route races to his credit already. He will break from the rail under Jose Lezcano.

#2 GRANTHAM has bypassed a few other spots to face this cast for Michael Maker. The talented son of Declaration of War has run well in both lifetime showings, and I think that the $280,000 purchase has a bright future with more seasoning. Victor Carrasco picks up the mount.

#3 SMARTEN UP rallied late to finish second in the Jerome S. in his latest endeavor. The consistent son of American Freedom has won or placed in each career try to date, and he could grab a share with another forward move in this spot.  

#4 GILDED AGE moved up considerably with the addition of blinkers last time when powering home a strong maiden winner at Churchill Downs. The Bill Mott pupil has a fine catalog page, and the son of Medaglia d’Oro might be starting to run to his potential at the right time of year. Kendrick Carmouche will be in the stirrups.

#5 COURVOISIER shows two wins in succession on the surface, led by a triumph in the Jerome S. most recently. The Kelly Breen trainee is bred to be a standout, and while the Tapit colt has been more workmanlike than brilliant so far, he is trending in the right direction and training well. Ruben Silvera gets the call atop the contender.

#6 UNBRIDLED BOMBER finished an even fourth in the Jerome S. for trainer Jim Ryerson. The bargain two-year-old purchase seems a cut below the top ones in the cast, but he is training in good fashion and also has room to improve second time out this campaign.

#7 NONEEDTOWORRY came home best in two straight at Parx, but the Algorithms colt will need a big step forward to be a serious threat in the lane on Saturday.

#8 UN OJO made a big late burst to miss by a neck in the Stallion Series S. in his first for trainer Tony Dutrow. The Laoban gelding handled the surface fine last time out, and he is bred to thrive going long. The dark bay will stalk the pace from the opening bell.

#9 EARLY VOTING gets the slight nod coming off of a measured maiden win on debut for Chad Brown. The $200,000 yearling purchase has put in a quartet of solid morning moves since his initial effort, and while he won on the front end last time, I don’t envision the son of Gun Runner as a need-the-lead type.

#10 MR JEFFERSON has failed to hit the board in his first trio of stakes ventures to date for conditioner Mike Trombetta. The chestnut would be a surprise from a difficult post position under Eric Cancel.

#11 COOKE CREEK owns a black-type tally and two stakes placings from four lifetime tries to date for trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer. The Uncle Mo colt was an even third in the Jerome, which followed a solid runner-up try in the Nashua S. (G3), and his best effort on Saturday will have him in the mix late. The Kentucky-bred retains the services of Manny Franco.