Instagrand Returns in Gotham

Jerry Hollendorfer originally chose to re-route 'TDN Rising Star' Instagrand (Into Mischief) from Santa Anita's GII San Felipe S. to Aqueduct's GIII Gotham S. Saturday because he thought the latter's one-turn mile was preferable for his undefeated charge's first start in seven months. That decision seemed wise due to the presence of the unbeaten Bob Baffert pair of champion Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) and GISW Improbable (City Zip) in the San Felipe. It proved to be even wiser when racing was canceled indefinitely in Arcadia Tuesday night due to the amount of equine fatalities that have occurred at the track since the opening of the meet.

Instagrand looms large in the Aqueduct feature, where he looks to pick up points towards the GI Kentucky Derby. A dazzling 10-length debut winner going five panels at Los Alamitos June 29, the $1.2 million FTFMAR co-topper was ultra impressive yet again with a 10 1/4-length tour de force in the six-furlong GII Best Pal S. Aug. 11. After that triumph, owner Larry Best opted to rest his colt in hopes of a strong sophomore campaign and the layoff looks like Instagrand's main obstacle in this test.

“We're very happy to have Javier Castellano riding,” said Jerry Hollendorfer. “I feel like our horse has speed and I think he can also rate if we have to.”

The likely favorite will still have to face a Baffert runner, albeit not of the caliber of Game Winner or Improbable, in Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile). Stakes-placed on the grass, the dark bay was third in the GIII Sham S. when getting back on dirt Jan. 5 and scored a decisive win in a 6 1/2-furlong main track optional claimer at Santa Anita last time Feb. 9.

The New York-based contingent should certainly have a say with the presence of GIII Withers S. runner-up Not That Brady (Big Brown) and Jerome S. hero Mind Control (Stay Thirsty). A three-length victor of the Damon Runyon S. against fellow Empire-breds over this track and trip, Not That Brady made a strong showing when missing by just a head after setting the pace in the nine-panel Withers Feb. 2. Upending the GI Hopeful S. at the end of the Saratoga meet, Mind Control was seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 2 and made easy work of the course-and-distance Jerome on New Year's Day.

“Going into the Gotham, this race appears to be a tougher race with Instagrand coming and Not That Brady was very impressive in the Withers,” said Mind Control's trainer Greg Sacco. “Our horse is going to have to improve, but we're expecting an effort like the Jerome. He's going into this race better than he went into the Jerome in terms of maturity and filling out. He's really starting to put the muscle on in the right places.”

Another locally based contender of interest is Haikal (Daaher), who followed his second-out graduation in Ozone Park Dec. 15 with a win in the seven-panel Jimmy Winkfield S. going seven panels here Feb. 9.

Blowing up the tote when winning the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. at 70-1, Knicks Go (Paynter) checked in second to the aforementioned Game Winner in the BC Juvenile, but failed to fire when 11th in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 24. He was last seen finishing a disappointing fifth as the favorite in the Feb. 9 GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa and his trainer chose this one-turn spot over the GII Tampa Bay Derby Saturday.