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2025 Withers Stakes Results

horse racing
Manny Franco celebrates after winning the Withers Stakes aboard Captain Cook
Date: 2/01/2025

The highlight race at Aqueduct on Saturday was the $250,000 Withers Stakes, a 1 1/8 mile main track contest for 3-year-olds and a points-scoring event in the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Conditions were typical for early February on Long Island, with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 30's, and the track rated fast. A field of 7 made final entry with Captain Cook sent off as the 7-5 favorite off his 9 1/4 length maiden win at second asking on December 28. In to challenge him included 11-4 second choice Mo Quality, second in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn, and 9-2 third choice Omaha Omaha, second in the Jerome at Aqueduct on January 4.
horse racing
The horses break from the gate for the Withers.

Jockey Jose Lezcano sent 5-1 fourth choice Uncle Jim to the lead first time by through fractions of 24.11 and 49.13 while pressed by Mo Quality and stalked by Captain Cook. On the far turn Uncle Jim tired allowing Mo Quality to inherit the lead through 3/4 in 1:13.64. Turning for home, jockey Manny Franco moved Captain Cook out 4 wide to sweep to the lead through 1 mile in 1:39.22. Kept to task by Franco, Captain Cook drew off to win by 2 1/4 lengths over late-running 33-1 Surfside Moon in 1:51.83. It was a long 6 1/2 lengths back to Omaha Omaha third.

Photos courtesy Nancy Rokos

horse racing
Pgm  Horse               Jockey         Win   Place   Show
 6   Captain Cook   Franco        4.90    3.00   2.40
 2   Surfside Moon  Civaci               15.80   7.90
 7   Omaha Omaha    Mena                         3.10

Winning Time:  1:51.83

$1 Exacta 6-2                  26.25
$1 Trifecta 6-2-7              67.00
$1 Superfecta 6-2-7-5         211.70
Full results chart

horse racinghorse racingLeft: Captain Cook in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said, "It feels good that we can head him towards another big race for his next start. I love that. I'm not thinking about the Derby right now, but he did get the job done the right way and he went three-wide around both turns here, didn't break so sharp. First time around two turns, mile and an eighth – he ran big."

Right: The trophy presentation for the Withers Stakes. Winning jockey Manny Franco said, "It was his first time two turns, and I was a little bit worried about that, but at the same time confident because I've been working him in the mornings, and I got to know him well. I knew he had stamina, but you never know. He proved he's a runner. He can do anything you want. He can stalk. He can be on the pace. He's a versatile horse."

horse racinghorse racingLeft: Captain Cook walks over before the race. Dutrow added, "When he switched his leads, he kind of took off again. It was a tough race for him, he goes from 7/8 to 1 1/8, only his third start. He didn't break good, and I'm sure [Franco] would have liked to have [broken] good where he could have kept the pressure on instead of biding his time, you know. You see we have a very relaxed horse – he doesn't need the lead, anybody could see that from his first start with us and today."

Right: Captain Cook returns after the race.

horse racinghorse racingLeft: Second place finisher Surfside Moon walks over before the race. Trainer James Lawrence II said, "We gave him a layoff for 30 days and brought him back. He had three real nice works and his last work; he couldn't blow out a match. I expected him to run well. I really like this horse and hopefully we can map out a good plan for him. We'll look at [the Wood Memorial] and the Virginia Derby. He's a good horse." Jockey Sahin Civaci added, "I sat off the speed in mid-pack and I was happy with my position. The horse relaxed really well and came with a good run. The winner just had more horse than I did. I was very impressed with my horse."

Right: Third place finisher Omaha Omaha returns after the race. The Michael Gorman trainee improved his record to 2 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds in 6 starts, earning $127,300 for owner-breeder On Your Left Racing.


horse racing
Maximus Meridius wins the Toboggan.
Immediately before the Withers was the $150,000 Toboggan Stakes, a 7 furlong main track sprint for older horses. Forty Niner (G3) winner and Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) 4th place finisher Coastal Mission was sent off as the 7-5 favorite in the field of 6 over 5-2 second choice Nelson Avenue, winner of the Blitzen Stakes at Parx, and 11-2 third choice Full Moon Madness, second in the Gravesend Stakes.

Jockey Mychel Sanchez sent 13-2 fifth choice Maximus Meridus to the lead exiting the chute through fractions of 22.95 and 45.90 while pressed by 6-1 fourth choice Runninsonofagun and stalked by Nelson Avenue. Turning for home Maximus Meridus continued to lead through 3/4 in 1:10.55, and held off Runninsonofafgun late to win by a neck in 1:23.36. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Full Moon Madness third, while favorite Coastal Mission checked in fourth beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

Results Chart

horse racinghorse racingLeft: Maximus Meridius heads to the winner's circle. Winning trainer Butch Reid Jr. said, "There were no specific instructions, just break him sharp and then play it the way you want. This is a horse that early in his career, he would kind of make the lead and hang, but now horses are coming to him and he's fighting them off and he has matured and come a long way. I think it's maturity, and the ultimate equipment change [gelding] has helped him a lot. He's turned into a completely different racehorse. He acted so stoic in the paddock pre-race and post-race, so he's a different horse now than he was."

Right: Maximus Meridius heads back to the barn after the race. Winning jockey Mychel Sanchez said, Being in the one-hole, it was simple, if he breaks good, just take the lead and go on from there, but make sure to save enough because today we were going 7/8. I tell you what, he broke like a rocket. I didn't even have to use him, which helped me to finish up. I waited, he likes the competition to come to me so I didn't want to open up too early. I just wait, then when they got next to me, it took him a little while to switch leads, but once he switched leads, he went on again with a good fight. He is a good fighter for sure."

horse racinghorse racingLeft: Second place finisher Runninsonofagun returns after the race. Jockey Ruben Silvera said, "I tried to break good and get good position. I waited for the stretch, but he was tired in the last hundred meters. I tried hard to win the race, but [Maximus Meridius] was coming back. He beat me to the wire."

Right: Third place finisher Full Moon Madness in the paddock before the race. The Michelle Nevin trainee improved his record to 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 3 thirds in 11 starts, earning $266,000 for owner-breeder Jay Em Ess Stable.


horse racing
Volleyballprincess wins the Ruthless.
Kicking off the Saturday stakes trio was the $125,000 Ruthless Stakes, a 7 furlong main track sprint for 3-year-old fillies. Debut winner Moonlit Drive was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the field of 5 over 9-4 second choice Win N Your In, third in the Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, and 11-4 third choice Hollywood Beauty, winner of the Parx Future Stars Filly Division on December 30.

Jockey Eliseo Ruiz sent 10-1 longest shot Volleyballprincess to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 23.67 and 47.81 while pressed by Hollywood Beauty and stalked by Win N Your In. Turning for home Volleyballprincess opened up by 8 lengths through 3/4 in 1:12.38 despite Ruiz dropping his whip at the 3/16 pole. Under a hand ride Volleyballprincess continued to draw away to win by 10 lengths over late-running 19-2 Ourdaydreaminggirl in 1:25.12. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Hollywood Beauty third.

Results Chart

horse racinghorse racingLeft: Volleyballprincess heads to the winner's circle. Winning trainer Louis Linder Jr., who trains the first 2 finishers said, "She's maturing every day. She's always showed us she has talent, and she showed it today. I thought we'd be sitting off the inside [Win N Your In] or outside [Hollywood Beauty] horse, but she came out of there running. [Ruiz] didn't want to discourage her, so he just went on with her."

Right: The trophy presentation for the Ruthless. Winning jockey Eliseo Ruiz said, "My horse broke really good today. I trusted in her all the way. She broke and she bites the bit easily when in front on the lead. She gave me her all and she won a stake by a lot. She knew it was a stakes! From the 1/4 pole, I dropped my stick. But she responded anyway. She is nice. She can run either way, in front or from behind."

horse racinghorse racingLeft: Second place finisher Ourdaydreaminggirl in the paddock before the race. Trainer Louis Linder Jr. said, "That filly will need two turns to be super competitive, but she's a nice filly, too."

Right: Third place finisher Hollywood Beauty heads out to the track before the race. The Marya Montoya trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 0 seconds, and 2 thirds in 6 starts, earning $109,750 for owner Albert Lupcho Jr.

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