Hit Show ready for the big stage in G3 Withers
At 0h18, on February 11, 2023 • By AQUEDUCT
Gary and Mary West’s Kentucky homebred Hit Showwill visit his fourth track in as many starts when he headlines Saturday’s nine-furlong Grade 3, $250,000 Withers, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The Withers, which was rescheduled from February 4 after the card was canceled due to extreme cold and sustained high winds, is a Kentucky Derby qualifier offering 20-8-6-4-2 points to the top-five finishers.
Trained by Brad Cox, the Candy Ride colt, who scratched out of the Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn Park in favor of this spot, breezed consistently at the Arkansas oval, including a bullet five-eighths in 1:00.40 on January 28. He arrived in New York on Thursday, February 2, and worked a half-mile over the Belmont dirt training track on Monday with Manny Franco in the irons, going in company with state-bred maiden winner Looms Boldly.
“He got in on Thursday and then trained Friday morning,” said Dustin Dugas, the New York-based assistant for Cox. “We had to walk Saturday because training was canceled, but he galloped again Sunday and then breezed Monday. It was a light breeze over the training track in 50 and he did it well. He’s come out of it in good shape.”
Hit Show graduated on debut sprinting seven furlongs in October at Keeneland, overcoming being bumped at the gate and early traffic trouble before splitting rivals at the top of the lane and surging to the wire a 5 1/4-length winner.
He bobbled after the break of his next outing in November traveling 1 1/16-miles at Churchill Downs and settled for fourth in a race that runner-up Rocket Can exited to win last Saturday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.
Last out, in a one-mile optional-claimer on December 17 at Oaklawn Park, Hit Show settled in fifth position through the opening half-mile before advancing four-wide into the final turn. He poked a head in front at the stretch call and drew off to win by 3 1/2-lengths, garnering a career-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure.
Hit Show will exit post 4 under the dual Withers-winning rider Franco.
