The New York division of three-year-olds is finally picking up a little in this year’s running of the Gotham Stakes. With a handful of runners shipping north from Florida and a few more coming out of allowance and statebred competition, the field has a hastily put together feel that I can actually appreciate.
One of my last trips to Aqueduct was for the 2017 running of the Gotham, when J Boys Echo upset El Areeb before getting crushed on the Triple Crown trail. It may not be the most valuable Derby prep in March, but it has a place in my upbringing, and that has to count for something. Let’s get into it.