Achilles of Troy, Keyed Entry Gotham Stakes Favorites

Posted on Friday, March 17th, 2006

Kentucky Derby contenders Achilles of Troy and Keyed Entry are heavy favorites for Saturday’s $200,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III), which switched this year to a two-turn race on Aqueduct’s inner track at 1 1/16 miles, and has drawn a strong field of 11.

The Gotham has previously been run at one mile around one turn on the main track, but with the race moved up on the schedule this year, the distance was changed. The main track opens March 29.

Paraneck Stable’s Achilles of Troy has been carving out a name for himself this winter over the inner track. The Notebook colt has won three straight over this surface, including impressive stakes victories in the Count Fleet and Whirlaway.

The Gotham will be Achilles of Troy’s most important start to date. Although his stakes wins have been impressive, they have not come against the caliber of horses he will face Saturday.

"It’s a good test for him, and I expect him to run huge," owner Ernie Paragallo said. "Nobody scares me if he runs his race. If he runs his `A’ race, he’s as good as anybody in the country."

Achilles of Troy makes his first start for trainer Frank Amonte Jr., who replaced former trainer Jen Pedersen with Paraneck Stable. Ramon Dominguez, currently second to Eibar Coa in Aqueduct’s jockey standings, has the mount on Achilles of Troy.

Trainer Todd Pletcher had several options in mind for Hutcheson (gr. II) winner Keyed Entry, but ended up choosing the Gotham, a spot he never would have been in if the race were still one turn.

$200,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III, Race 9, 4:50 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds, 1 1/16 Miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Hesanoldsalt (KY), 116, Norberto Arroyo, Jr.
2. Church Service (KY), 116, Michael Luzzi
3. Eagle Head (CA), 116, Santos Noe Chavez
4. Like Now (FL), 116, Fernando Jara
5. Putonyerdancinshuz (PA), 116, Hiram Rivera
6. Achilles of Troy (KY), 120, Ramon Dominguez
7. Keyed Entry (KY), 120, Edgar Prado
8. Sunshine Alpine (MD), 116, Richard Migliore
9. Greeley’s Legacy (KY), 116, Eibar Coa
10. Sweetnorthernsaint (FL), 116, Kent Desormeaux
11. One Way Flight (NY), 116, Channing Hill

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"Achilles of Troy, Keyed Entry Gotham Stakes Favorites" was posted on Friday, March 17th, 2006 at 9:34 am and is filed under Aqueduct, Horses, Kentucky Derby, Stakes Races. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.