Uncle Heavy (#8) rallied late to edge El Grande O by a nose in the Withers Stakes Feb. 3 at Aqueduct. (Susie Raisher/NYRA)
Trainer Butch Reid has no interest in leaving his cozy base of operations at Parx Racing and moving to New York.
He has family members in the nearby Philadelphia area. He’s also a Philadelphia Eagles fan.
“I’d have to start cheering for the Jets and I don’t want to do that,” he said.
Yes, Parx and Philadelphia may be an indelible part of Reid’s pedigree, but his occasional jaunts to New York remain as profitable and enjoyable as ever.
Reid’s latest excursion to the Empire State added another New York Racing Association graded stakes victory to his résumé as Michael Milam’s Uncle Heavy rallied with gusto in the final 50 yards to catch El Grande O in the final jump and take the $250,000 Withers Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 3 at Aqueduct.
“I’ve always thought all along with this horse the further the better and he certainly proved that today,” Reid said. “So a mile and an eighth is definitely within his grasp. He missed one of his breezes and a few days of galloping due to inclement weather, so for him to do what he did today it is really a testament to his staying ability.”
By successfully handling the distance, Uncle Heavy, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion, put himself in the thick of the Triple Crown chase, as the bay colt picked up 20 qualifying points toward a start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. The speed he flashed in the final strides to get his nose in front at the wire, after trailing by 3 ½ lengths at the eighth pole, also bodes well for handling the classic, mile-and-a-quarter distance.
“It looked like he was hitting his best stride 50 yards from the wire. He really started stretching out. He’s a big strong dude and I don’t think there’s any distance concerns,” Reid said. “He’s right there with the head of the class of 3-year-olds I’ve trained. He’s a massive, long-striding colt and they are not easy to come by.
“It’s really worked out great with the short ship here for us the last few years. We’ve been competitive in the stakes and it’s a testament to the owners that are going to the sale and spending the money,” added Reid, who also won the 2010 Withers with Afleet Again. “The buildings get tall up here, as they like to say, but if you can get part (of the purse) it works out really well.”
Victorious connections. (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
Reid’s recent success did not really resonate with the bettors as the Pennsylvania-bred was sent off at 9.30-1 and was sixth in the field of nine under Mychel Sanchez after an opening quarter-mile in :24.14.
Barry Schwartz’s New York-bred El Grande O was a head off the lead after contested splits of :49.49 and 1:14.44 over the muddy, sealed track and pulled away to a seemingly safe three-length lead with a furlong to go, but Uncle Heavy, who was wide on both turns from post 8 and had moved up to third after six furlongs, would not be denied in the final strides. The final time was 1:53.79.
Trainer Linda Rice was uncertain of future plans for El Grande O, a Take Charge Indy colt who received 10 qualifying points and now has 15.
“It was a really good effort,” Rice said. “He took a lot of early pressure, which I didn’t expect.”
Lightline, the 1.15-1 favorite trained by Brad Cox, was 2 ½ lengths back in third. The son of City of Light picked up six points in his stakes debut.
A winner of three of four starts, Uncle Heavy, named, as Reid put it, after “the original Uncle Heavy, my brother Mark (Barbara’s husband),” has earned $293,580.
