Whisper Hill Farm's homebred Charge It breaks the seal on his 2024 season in the $175,000 Westchester Stakes (G3) for 4-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack's Belmont at the Big A meet May 3.
The mile race will be the son of Tapit 's seventh attempt at a distance that has presented challenges to him. He has two wins. Charge It is a solid late-race runner, particularly going further than a mile. He just runs out of track over eight furlongs.
The first two tries were maiden special weights to start his career. Since then, he's come away victorious only in the 2022 Dwyer Stakes (G3). He was second in the Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) and fourth in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Last year Charge It ran against Horse of the Year Cody's Wish three times, as well as Senor Buscador, Proxy , White Abarrio, and National Treasure. With none of them standing in the way in the Westchester, it may provide a clearer path to victory for Charge It.
Chad Brown trainee Dr Ardito may not have Charge It's experience in grade 1 company, but he's had more success at a mile.
The 6-year-old Liam's Map gelding has claimed six of 11 starts at the distance. Five of those wins are on the Aqueduct dirt, with the Alex M. Robb Stakes the most recent of those triumphs.
The field is rounded out by Adero, Winit, Messier, Post Time, and Whittington Park. Adero, Winit, and Whittington Park are searching for a first graded stakes victory. Post Time won his first last time out in the Carter Stakes (G2).
Entries: Westchester S. (G3)
Belmont at the Big A, Friday, May 3, 2024, Race 8
- Grade III
- 1m
- Dirt
- $175,000
- 4 yo's & up
- 4:42 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Adero (KY) | Abner Adorno | 118 | John C. Servis | 30/1 |
| 2 | 2Winit (KY) | Romero Ramsay Maragh | 118 | John C. Kimmel | 10/1 |
| 3 | 3Messier (ON) | Jose Antonio Gomez | 118 | Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. | 4/1 |
| 4 | 4Post Time (MD) | Sheldon Russell | 124 | Brittany T. Russell | 1/1 |
| 5 | 5Whittington Park (NY) | Eric Cancel | 120 | Jeremiah C. Englehart | 8/1 |
| 6 | 6Dr Ardito (NY) | Manuel Franco | 118 | Chad C. Brown | 10/1 |
| 7 | 7Charge It (KY) | Kendrick Carmouche | 124 | Todd A. Pletcher | 3/1 |
Sheepshead Bay Stakes
Earlier in the card, a field of five international runners will take aim at the $200,000 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares.
Headlining that group is millionaire Brown trainee McKulick, who has failed to finish in the top three only twice in her 15-race career.
She's won two of three attempts at the 1 3/8-mile distance of the Sheepshead Bay. Her one defeat came in the 2023 Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) where she fell 1 1/4 lengths behind fellow Sheepshead Bay contender Parnac.
The Christophe Clement-trained 5-year-old is making her 2024 debut Friday. She was last seen finishing fourth in the Waya Stakes (G3T), her follow-up to the Flower Bowl.
Clement and Brown each has a second runner in the race with La Mehana and Royal Interest, respectively. Cherie DeVaux leads Star Fortress to round out the field.
Belmont at the Big A, Friday, May 3, 2024, Race 3Entries: Sheepshead Bay S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Parnac (FR) Dylan Davis 122 Christophe Clement 8/1 2 2Star Fortress (IRE) Kendrick Carmouche 120 Cherie DeVaux 3/1 3 3Royalty Interest (FR) Eric Cancel 118 Chad C. Brown 12/1 4 4McKulick (GB) Manuel Franco 122 Chad C. Brown 4/5 5 5La Mehana (FR) Vincent Cheminaud 118 Christophe Clement 5/2
