By Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt

The $300,000 Gotham (G3), Aqueduct

Race 8 – The Gotham is the fifth of six stops on the New York road to Kentucky Derby 2025 with qualifying points [50-25-15-10-5] that are available to the top five finishers. A field of 10 was drawn and a fast pace is expected in this one-turn mile race which is carded as race 8. Post time is set for 4:18 pm EST. (8) McAfee made his first two starts at Churchill Downs and was a debut winner in November. He returned three weeks later to run second by a neck in a starter allowance. McAfee is a half-brother of last year’s Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. (9) Garamond won the only start of his career for Juddmonte and Chad Brown in a maiden at Tampa Bay Downs as a 4-5 favorite. He finds a field that gives him a chance to be successful as he steps onto the Derby trail. (10) My Mitole shows significant improvement in his four starts with victories in one-turn miles in his last two starts at Aqueduct. (5) Sand Devil is one of two undefeated and stakes-winning NY-breds in this field. He won a state-bred allowance going a mile by more than 12 lengths. Betting strategy:  Exacta box: 5, 8, 9, 10. Trifecta box: 5, 8, 9, 10.