Tipsheet: 2025 Gotham Stakes

A talented field of 10 sophomores are signed on to travel one mile on the dirt at Aqueduct in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham S. (G3) The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series tilt will reward the first five across the wire with qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 structure.  

Gotham Stakes Picks

• #5 Sand Devil
• #4 Sacrosanct
• #9 Garamond
• #1 Scorching

Gotham Stakes Wagers

• $20 win and place #5 Sand Devil
• $3 trifecta key 5 with 1,4,9 

Gotham Stakes Contenders

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#1 SCORCHING: Canadian invader was a big winner of the Simcoe S. two back prior to being elevated to the win in the Cup and Saucer S. on the Woodbine green most recently. The John Charalambous trainee has never run on the dirt, but if the son of Mo Town takes to the surface, then he will be a major contender in his local bow beneath Eric Cancel. 

#2 NORMANDY COAST: Bay son of Omaha Beach comes in with a pair of wins in succession and will stretch out for the first time on Saturday. The Kentucky-bred colt has improved his Brisnet Speed figure with each lifetime run and could challenge for a share with continued ascension on this occasion. Ben Curtis comes in to ride. 

#3 CALLING CARD: Interesting sort from the Mike Maker shedrow will put blinkers on following an eighth-place result in the Lecomte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds in his latest outing. This dark bay son of Complexity was only beaten by five lengths in his most recent endeavor, and the $70,000 weanling purchase rates as an exotics contender if the equipment change moves him forward beneath Kendrick Carmouche. 

#4 SACROSANCT: Unbeaten son of Honest Mischief is 3-for-3 on the oval and will be forwardly placed from the opening bell. The three-year-old colt was a game winner in his lone effort at the distance and is an obvious win threat for trainer Brad Cox. The New York-bred bay will have regular pilot Manny Franco on board. 

#5 SAND DEVIL: Top selection from the always dangerous Linda Rice shedrow had to work hard to bag the Damon Runyon S. last time to move his mark to a sterling 3-for-3, and he gets the nod while making his graded stakes debut. The chestnut son of Violence can win from on, or off of, the pace and was a smashing 12-length victor in his lone prior effort at eight panels, as well. This Chester Broman homebred retains the services of Jose Lezcano. 

#6 PAGODE: Paulo Lobo pupil rallied for a smart debut win on the all-weather at Turfway and could be any kind going forward. The chestnut son of Constitution is bred to get better with distance and experience, and he has posted a few nice morning drills in advance of his stakes debut, too. Luan Machado comes in to ride. 

#7 FLOOD ZONE: Frosted colt was a big maiden winner on the Gulfstream Park dirt with Florida-bred foes most recently and will make his first appearance since being transferred to Brad Cox. The colt is cut out to thrive going long, and the sophomore will be in the mix late with improvement under the guidance of regular pilot Reylu Gutierrez. 

#8 MCAFEE: Half-brother to superstar Thorpedo Anna is a head shy from being unbeaten from two career runs for conditioner Richard Dutrow. This $40,000 son of Cloud Computing will have to get faster to topple this group, but he did move forward in his second showing and wouldn’t be a total surprise with Lane Luzzi in the stirrups. 

#9 GARAMOND: Juddmonte homebred was a solid debut winner at Tampa Bay Downs while racing a bit greenly and will be a threat with an expected step in the right direction on Saturday. The bay son of Uncle Mo flashed good early foot in his unveiling and has shown fast morning drills since that performance, too. The Chad Brown charge will have Javier Castellano in the silks. 

#10 MY MITOLE: Carlos Martin trainee is 2-for-2 since stretching out in distance and gets a look from the outside post today. The Kentucky-bred chestnut has come home with good energy in each of his one-mile efforts to date, and the colt might be a late factor if he gets involved in the early stages of the race. Luis Rivera, Jr. has the call.