Gotham (GIII)

2025 Gotham Stakes Overview

The Gotham S. (G3) at Aqueduct has established itself as a significant milestone on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, offering valuable qualifying points to its top finishers. The 2025 edition saw Flood Zone score an impressive victory, winning by 3 1/4 lengths under Reylu Gutierrez at odds of 17-1. The Brad Cox trainee defeated a quality field that included Sand Devil and the Chad Brown-trained Garamond in the one-mile Grade 3 contest worth $300,000.

The race has traditionally served as a key prep for both the Wood Memorial (G2) and Kentucky Derby, attracting a mix of local New York-based talent and shippers from major winter racing venues. Over the past decade, the race has maintained its position as an important stepping stone, though its distance has been adjusted between one mile and 1 1/16 miles to better serve as a progression toward longer Derby preps.

A notable trend shows that horses with tactical speed have enjoyed success in the Gotham, though the race's configuration and typically honest pace scenario also favor horses with strong closing kicks. The inner track's configuration at Aqueduct during winter months has historically played fair to all running styles.

For handicappers, the Gotham often provides value opportunities, as demonstrated by several double-digit winners in recent years. Horses coming from Florida and other southern circuits have performed well when shipping in, particularly those showing progression in their recent starts.

The race serves as an excellent gauge for determining which horses might handle the step up in distance in subsequent Derby preps.

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Gotham Stakes History

It takes a mighty good horse to handle the cold winter weather at Aqueduct, compete in the Gotham (G3), and later land in the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner’s circle. How good, you ask? Considering immortal Triple Crown winner Secretariat is the only Gotham participant to ever win the Kentucky Derby, maybe the feat requires a superstar.

Chalk it up to the Secretariat Curse, or just plain bad luck, but despite producing an abundance of Derby starters—nearly 50 runners between 1980 and 2023—few Gotham alumni have managed to vie for victory on the first Saturday in May.

That’s not to say the Gotham isn’t a quality race. Quite to the contrary, the roster of winners includes some of racing’s all-time greats. In addition to Secretariat, who defied history to complete the Gotham/Derby double in 1973, the one-mile race has been won by champions Native Dancer (1953), Jaipur (1962), Dr. Fager (1967), Easy Goer (1989), and Lure (1992). Easy Goer’s triumph was particularly vivid as he won by 13 lengths in the blazing time of 1:32.40, establishing a stakes record.

However, this rich history hasn’t translated to success for Gotham participants on the first Saturday in May. Gotham winners Native Dancer, General Assembly (1979), Easy Goer, and Aptitude (2000) all finished second in the Kentucky Derby, but other highlights have been few and far between. During the 44-year period from 1980 through 2023, just two Gotham starters managed to hit the board at Churchill Downs.

But perhaps the Gotham is due for a renaissance. The race has offered 50 Kentucky Derby qualification points to the winner since 2013, and with this lofty prize in tow, a string of high-profile winners could be just around the corner.

By J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com