Poster Targets Withers After Battling Kentucky Weather

Godolphin's Kentucky homebred Poster, last-out winner of the Dec. 7 Remsen Stakes (G2), will look to double up on stakes wins in New York when he returns for the 1 1/8-mile, $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 1. Trained by Eoin Harty, the Munnings chestnut pulled off a narrow nose victory on over Aviator Gui in the Remsen, a 1 1/8-mile route for 2-year-olds, to close out his juvenile campaign. The Remsen effort secured 10 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points. Poster returned to his Turfway Park base following the Remsen, working three times over the synthetic before severe winter weather forced the Kentucky track to cancel recent cards. "He's doing very well. He's missed a bit of training because of the weather here in Kentucky," Harty said. "I'm thinking about what I'll do here with him in the next couple of days, but he's doing very well and if everything goes according to plan, he'll be in New York on February 1." Poster made his dirt debut in the Remsen following a pair of prominent one-mile wins on turf, graduating in August at Ellis Park and following with an allowance score in October at Keeneland. Flavien Prat was aboard for the Remsen effort as Poster rated off the pace before rallying strongly through the turn and opening up a two-length advantage at the stretch call. He stayed on strong to the wire to turn back the lugging-in Aviator Gui by a nose in a final time of 1:50.37. Harty said he was impressed with how Poster handled the dirt and the stretch out in distance. "He handled the kickback, and he was traveling very well on the surface. He showed that he's not one-dimensional," Harty said. Harty said he's hopeful Poster will continue to improve in the Withers, which offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers. "The distance is fine for him, absolutely," Harty said. "Everything's on track, it's just a matter of no interruptions in his training." Poster is out of the winning Tapit mare Pin Up, who is a half sister to multiple grade 1 victor Bernardini, who took the 2006 Preakness Stakes (G1), Travers Stakes (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) en route to champion 3-year-old male honors. Harty trained Poster's half brother Stately Order, along with half sisters Fancy Dress and Betty Grable—all Godolphin homebreds out of Pin Up. First Resort Godolphin's Kentucky homebred First Resort earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his last-out victory over Jonathan's Way in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs Nov. 30. The Uncle Mo bay worked back twice at Turfway before winter weather interrupted plans. "He missed an extra work. I had planned on working him on a Saturday and we got snowed in," Harty said. "He's doing great. We're waiting to see if we can get a work into him this weekend, figure out his level of fitness and figure out where I'm going with him." First Resort, out of the grade 1-winning Street Boss mare Fair Maiden, graduated on debut in July sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over a muddy and sealed track at Ellis Park. He followed one month later with a second by 3 1/4 lengths to Showcase in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) before a fourth-place effort in the Summer Stakes (G1T) traveling one mile over firm turf in September at Woodbine. Harty said he will look to keep First Resort and Poster separated as they maneuver their separate paths to the Kentucky Derby. "Off his race at Churchill, I think he can go further. It would be very nice if he could get a mile and a quarter," said Harty, with a laugh. "That's the way we're pointing right now. He hasn't disappointed me yet." Very Bold Calumet Farm's Very Bold was elevated to second in an eventful edition of the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes Jan. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs after Owen Almighty, who crossed the wire first, was disqualified for interference and Naughty Rascal subsequently elevated to victory in the sophomore sprint. Piloted by Jesus Castanon, Very Bold was last of six in the early running before rallying down the lane to cross the wire third, 5 1/2 lengths back of Owen Almighty. Harty indicated the Union Rags chestnut will look to stretch out at Tampa Bay Downs with the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis Stakes, which also offers Derby points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale, a potential target Feb. 8. "He's good. He was back at the track today. We'll continue on that path with him," Harty said. "He was a bit one-paced early on, but he finished strongly and galloped out well. I don't know if a mile and a quarter is in his wheelhouse, but he's certainly going to stretch out in his next start." Very Bold, a $45,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, is out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Sweet Revenge, a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Danzing Candy and a full sister to dual stakes winner Cedartown. His third dam, Bendita, produced multiple grade 1 winner Better Talk Now.