Uncle Heavy battles to Withers victory

Feb 03, 2024 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Uncle Heavy wins the Withers S. (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Suisie Raisher)

A relentless rally from midfield carried Uncle Heavy to a tenacious victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Withers S. (G3) at Aqueduct, a 1 1/8-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 20-10-6-4-2 points to the top five finishers.

Stepping up in class off a stretch-running score in the Wait For It S. against Pennsylvania-bred rivals at Parx Racing, Uncle Heavy as the 9-1 fifth betting choice while facing eight rivals in the Withers. Under jockey Mychel Sanchez, the Robert Reid Jr. trainee dropped off the pace but was never more than a few lengths behind as El Grande O, Khanate, and Seminole Chief dueled for command through fractions of :24.14, :49.49, and 1:14.44 over a muddy track.

Seminole Chief soon dropped out of contention, and Khanate weakened in the homestretch, leaving El Grande O with a three-length lead passing the eighth pole. But by then Uncle Heavy had found his best stride, and the son of Social Inclusion gained 3 1/2 lengths down the lane to catch El Grande O by a nose in 1:53.79.

Favored Lightline rallied mildly to finish third, followed by Deposition, Khanate, Speed Runner, Mission Beach, Society Man, and Seminole Chief.

'He looked like he was just hitting his best stride about 50 yards from the wire. He really started stretching out nice,” Reid said of Uncle Heavy, who is owned by Michael Milam. “I have always felt all along with this horse, the further the better. He certainly proved that today. A mile and an eighth was obviously well within his grasp. He actually missed one of his breezes, and a few days of galloping due to the inclement weather, so for him to go ahead and do that is quite a testament to the horse’s staying ability.”

Reid mentioned the April 6 Wood Memorial (G2), held over the same track and distance as the Withers, as a possible future goal for Uncle Heavy.

Later in the afternoon, the undefeated Nysos stormed to victory in the one-mile $200,000 Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) at Santa Anita, bringing his record to 3-for-3. The runaway Bob Hope (G3) winner started as the 1-10 favorite, and after rating two to three lengths behind splits of :22.81, :46.67, and 1:11.11, he unleashed an eye-catching burst of acceleration under jockey Flavien Prat to seize command and win easing up by 7 1/2 lengths.

A son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist trained by Bob Baffert, Nysos stopped the clock in 1:36.65. His stablemate Wine Me Up edged past pacesetter Scatify to secure second place, followed by Mc Vay, Moonlit Sonata, Better Than Gold, and Ace of Clubs.

The Robert B. Lewis is a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 20-10-6-4-2 points to the top five finishers, but since Baffert is currently suspended by Churchill Downs, Inc., Nysos and Wine Me Up were ineligible to earn points. That left Scatify, Mc Vay, and Moonlit Sonata as the only points earners from the Lewis field.

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