Set to make his first start since a fourth-place run in the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course this summer, Gift Box will headline a competitive field of 11 in the $150,000 Discovery (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 12 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Looking to pick up his first graded stakes win for owner Bill Farish and trainer Chad Brown, the gray or roan son of Twirling Candy broke his maiden over an off track at Belmont Park in October of 2015.
In his first graded stakes try in the Remsen (gr. II) last November, Gift Box finished third before returning to start his 3-year-old campaign May 26 at Belmont, impressively winning an optional claiming allowance race by 4 1/2 lengths. Next time out, he finished second in the Curlin before entering the Travers.
Graded stakes winner Sunny Ridge will look to get back on track for owner Dennis Drazin and trainer Jason Servis. The son of Holy Bull has faced a gauntlet of graded stakes competition since breaking his maiden at Monmouth Park in June of last year.
Beginning his 3-year-old campaign winning the Withers Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 30 at Aqueduct, he finished fourth in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III) before returning to run third this summer in the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) and a last-time-out 11th in the grade II Pennsylvania Derby.
PEDULLA: Sunny Ridge Prevails in Withers Stakes
Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle Governor Malibu for owners Jump Sucker Stables' and Oak Bluff Stables. Making his first start against open company since running fifth in the Travers, the son of Malibu Moon went on to pick up a 7 1/2 length win in the slop against fellow New York-breds, and most recently ran second facing 3-year-olds and older Oct. 22 at Belmont in the Empire Classic for New York-breds.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, November 12, 2016, Race 8Entries: Discovery S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Adulator (KY) John R. Velazquez 118 James A. Jerkens 7/2 2 2Hunter O'Riley (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 James J. Toner 30/1 3 3Gift Box (KY) Javier Castellano 118 Chad C. Brown 3/1 4 4Sticksstatelydude (VA) Joel Rosario 118 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 6/1 5 5Governor Malibu (NY) Joe Bravo 120 Christophe Clement 4/1 6 6Hot Seat (MD) Antonio A. Gallardo 118 Jason Servis 10/1 7 7My Man Sam (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 116 Chad C. Brown 8/1 8 8Neolithic (KY) Jose Lezcano 116 Todd A. Pletcher 15/1 9 9Wild About Deb (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 116 Ramon Preciado 15/1 10 10Vulcan's Forge (KY) Luis Saez 118 Todd A. Pletcher 20/1 11 11Sunny Ridge (NJ) Manuel Franco 124 Jason Servis 20/1
