Gotham Stakes 2013 Results: Vyjack Stays Perfect

Undefeated Vyjack, well back of the early leaders through the first three-quarters of the race, stormed down the middle of the Aqueduct inner dirt track to pass pacesetter West Hills Giant to win the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes. Overanalyze, making his first start since winning the G2-Remsen in late November and going to post as the 8/5 favorite, struggled to run his best race and finished a well-beaten fifth.

The entire Gotham field broke well from the gate with West Hills Giant moving quickly to the front to set the early fractions. Escapefromreality settled in the second spot along the rail about a couple lengths behind the leader, while Overanalyze tracked the top two in third. About midway on the backstretch, Transparent made a big move to position himself right off the hippocket of West Hills Giant, while ultimate winner Vyjack continued to run towards the back of the pack.

As the field rounded the far turn, West Hills Giant and Transparent started to pull away from their rivals and it appeared possible that the top two would take the field all the way to the wire. But the leaders began to falter in deept stretch just as Vyjack found clear racing room down the middle of the track. Vyjack easily went by the leaders in the final furlong and in the process, stamped his ticket to Louisville for the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

Vyjack is a three-year-old gleding by Into Mischief out of a Stravinsky mare (Life Happened), trained by Rudy Rodriguez and ridden by Joel Rosario. He is undefeated in four lifetime starts, including victories in the G2-Jerome and G3-Gotham in his last two races.

Below are the payouts, fractions and internal splits for the Gotham Stakes: