Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Contact: Jenny Kellner
(718) 659-2351
D' FUNNYBONE NOT JOKING AROUND IN WITHERS
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With four Grade 2 wins on conventional dirt, D' Funnybone has been one serious racehorse since arriving in trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr.'s barn.
Last summer, the son of D'wildcat won the 6 ½-furlong Saratoga Special and the seven-furlong Futurity at Belmont Park by a combined margin of more than 15 lengths; this year, D' Funnybone quickly established himself as a top 3-year-old sprinter with eye-catching victories at Gulfstream Park in the Hutcheson and Swale, both at seven furlongs.
Saturday, D' Funnybone looks to make it five of six in graded stakes company as he stretches out to a mile and takes on five other sophomores in the 131st running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Withers around one turn at Aqueduct Racetrack. The Big A's 81-day spring meet concludes Sunday and racing returns to beautiful
"I haven't gotten anything but good reports on 'Funnybone' since he left
"The plan is the Withers, the seven-eighths race on Belmont Stakes Day [Grade 2 Woody Stephens] and the one at Saratoga [Grade 1 King's Bishop, August 28]," said Dutrow, who will also saddle recent maiden winner Spangled Star, a supplemental entry, in the Withers. "That would be an unbelievable year."
Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado will ride D' Funnybone, the 1-2 morning line choice who breaks from post position 2, while Cornelio Velasquez is aboard 20-1 Spangled Star, who drew post position 5.
Back for a third shot at D' Funnybone is the Todd Pletcher-trained Ibboyee, who was third, beaten two lengths, in the Hutcheson and second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths, in the Swale. The New York-bred son of Medallist, who has hit the board in all eight of his career starts, closed out his juvenile campaign with a 2 ½-length victory in the Damon Runyon over Aqueduct's inner track.
John Velazquez has the mount on Ibboyee, who drew post position 6 and was listed as the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.
The Gary Contessa-trained Castaneda has won three straight at Aqueduct, all at six furlongs, including a front-running victory in the Fred "Cappy" Capossela on March 6. A gelded son of Yonaguska, Castaneda drew post position 3 and will be ridden by Jorge Chavez as the 10-1 choice on the morning line.
"For sure, I will be on the lead," said Contessa.
Returning from
Rounding out the field is another supplemental entry, Most Happy Fella, who set the early pace in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial. Eibar Coa rides Most Happy Fella, 12-1, from the rail.
The field for the Grade 3, $150,000 Withers:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | Most Happy Fella (NY) (S) | E Coa | 116 | W Badgett, Jr. | 12-1 |
| 2 | D' Funnybone (FL) | E | 123 | R E Dutrow, Jr. | 1-2 |
| 3 | Castaneda (NY) | J F Chavez | 118 | G C Contessa | 10-1 |
| 4 | Afleet Again (KY) | A Mariano | 116 | R E Reid, Jr. | 20-1 |
| 5 | Spangled Star (KY) (S) | C H Velasquez | 116 | R E Dutrow, Jr. | 20-1 |
| 6 | Ibboyee (NY) | J R Velazquez | 120 | T A Pletcher | 5-2 |
| (S) | Supplemental entry | | | | |
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