Stay Thirsty, Toby's Corner top list of Gotham probables

Owner Mike Repole will be well represented in Aqueduct's graded Triple Crown

preps as the native of Queens, New York, plans to send out STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini)

in the $250,000 Gotham S. (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on March 5 and last year's

unbeaten champion two-year-old UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie) in the $750,000 Wood

Memorial (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on April 9.

"I've been watching the Gotham and the Wood for years, and I want to run

horses where my friends and family can come out and cheer," said Repole, who

races under the Repole Stable banner.

The two colts, both currently with trainer Todd Pletcher's string at Palm

Meadows in Florida, will work in company on Sunday, according to Repole.

"Todd and I will talk on Sunday or Monday, but we're leaning 95 percent in

the direction of the Gotham with Stay Thirsty," Repole said. "It's a little bit

of a haul, but I love racing in New York and I like supporting New York racing.

Even if Stay Thirsty wins by 10 lengths, his next race probably won't be in New

York because we plan to have Uncle Mo in the Wood."

TOBY'S CORNER (Bellamy Road), winner of the 1 1/16-mile Whirlaway S. at

Aqueduct on February 5, worked an easy five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 on the Tapeta

training track at Fair Hill Training Center as he prepares for his expected next

start in the Gotham.

"The work was good, very routine," said Graham Motion, who trains Toby's

Corner for Dianne Cotter. "I actually moved it up a bit because of the bad

weather, but I had only planned on giving him one work between races and

everything has gone smoothly. He's doing super."

Toby's Corner looks for his fourth consecutive victory in the Gotham, having

taken a first-level optional claimer and maiden race at Laurel prior to the

Whirlaway.

"I was a little concerned at the eighth-pole (in the Whirlaway) because it

looked for a second like he might wait on horses, but once Eddie (Castro) got

him straightened away, he went on and won kind of comfortably."

In addition to Stay Thirsty and Toby's Corner, the Gotham is likely to

attract NACHO SAINT (Yes It's True), NORMAN ASBJORNSON (Real Quiet),

PREACHINTOTHEDEVIL (Pulpit) and RESCIND THE TRADE (Put It Back). DAWLY (Awesome

Again), MONZON (Thunder Gulch) and STARSHIP CAESAR (Repent) are possible for the

race according to NYRA Stakes Coordinator Andrew Byrnes.

The top threat to the Repole juggernaut figures to be Florida shipper CUSTOM

FOR CARLOS (More Than Ready).

At this time last year, Homewrecker Racing's Custom for Carlos had won the

Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park and was pointing for Aqueduct's Toboggan

on the Gotham Day undercard, a race in which he yielded a neck decision to Wall

Street Wonder (City Place).

This year, the Tom Fool has replaced the Toboggan on Gotham Day, and while

Custom for Carlos again exits the Mr. Prospector, this year he was beaten four

lengths by sprint champion Big Drama (Montbrook) while earning a 111 BRIS Speed

rating to the winner's blazing 117.

"He's always been a quality horse," trainer Eddie Kenneally said. "He was

coming off a huge layoff in the Mr. Prospector, but we expected a good race from

him because he was training really well and he came up to the race really

sharp."

Custom for Carlos injured a hoof in his stall the night before a planned run

in last year's True North S. (G2) at Belmont Park on June 5, and was forced to

scratch. The five-year-old has been a regular on the worktab at Palm Meadows

since early November and recorded three bullet works leading up to the January

15 Mr. Prospector.