Bet on the Withers Stakes
The Withers Stakes is among the oldest thoroughbred stakes in the United Stakes, inaugurated in 1874 at the Jerome Park Racetrack. As a Grade 3 stakes, the Withers takes place at the Aqueduct Racetrack in New York, featuring some of the best three-year-olds in the sport. Thoroughbreds race around the dirt track at a distance of 1 1/16 miles, striving to earn a purse set at $250,000. The Withers Stakes typically occurs early in the year as part of the prep season for the Road to the Kentucky Derby group of races.
Withers Stakes Racebooks
Online racebooks started up during the mid-1990s as technology advanced to become secure and fast enough to provide wagering enthusiasts a new way to enjoy the races. Ever since their introduction to the internet, the industry has evolved to offer a variety of bonuses, rebates and membership as racebooks strive to compete for the attention of horse racing fans.
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* REMINDER! - you must be of legal age in your state or province to legally wager on thoroughbred or harness horse racing. Please bet responsibly!
Withers Stakes Betting Odds
Bovada provides horse racing fans with some of the best wagering services and promotions when it comes to betting on races like the Withers Stakes. In addition to offering up to $250 of free bets for new members, Bovada features a rebate program that returns up to 3% of win, place and show bets and up to 5% of exotic bets back into your account.
2017 Withers Stakes Contenders
The 2016 edition of the Withers Stakes (G3) on paper shaped up to be an easy repeat for Jerome Stakes (G3) winner Flexibility and he went to post as the heavy favorite in the field of six. He rated behind the front-runner but when it came time to change gears, he was left spinning his wheels. After the green Adventist bumped him several times at the top of the stretch, the best he could manage was fourth.
It was Sunny Ridge’s turn to shine. With nearly two months’ rest since a runner-up effort in the Delta Jackpot Stakes (G3), the New Jersey-bred gelding was forwardly placed early on just behind the front-running Vorticity. He took command at the top of the stretch and battled on gamely to win by ¾ of a length.
2016 Order of Finish: Win Place Show
1st: Sunny Ridge $9.50 $4.20 $5.30
2nd Vorticity $6.00 $7.90
3rd: Adventist $8.60
(Also Ran: Flexibility, Donegal Moon, King Kranz Scratched: Cards of Stone)
Check back closer to the race for the contenders for the 2017 Withers Stakes.
Did you know?
In addition to the Aqueduct and Jerome Park Racetracks, the Withers Stakes has been hosted by Morris Park Racecourse, Jamaica Racetrack and Belmont Park. Throughout the 140 years this event has existed, the only three years the Withers wasn't run was during 1911 and 1912 due to a state ban on horse wagering and during 2011. This race was named after David Dunham Withers, a noted breeder and owner who won the race in 1890. Eddy Arcaro has won this race the most out of any jockey, taking home six titles including four in six years between 1946 to 1951. The fastest thoroughbred at the Withers Stakes was Williamstown in 1993, who won with a time of 1:32.40.
As one of the final races in the prep season on the Road to the Kentucky Derby lineup of events, the Withers Stakes results in ten points for the winner, four points for second place, two points for third and a single point for the fourth place finisher. In 2014, Samraat, winner of the Withers, ended up finishing fifth in the Road to the Kentucky Derby by amassing 100 points during the season, beating Uncle Sigh again at the Gotham Stakes and finishing second to Wicked Strong at the Wood Memorial Stakes.
