Three months to the 148th Kentucky Derby (G1) and Saturday, February 5 will feature two solid stepping stone stakes races in Florida and New York. On Sunday, a small field of five goes to post for the Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita with Canadian-bred MESSIER the odds-on choice for the Grade 3 race at 1 1/16 miles. Messier was bred by Sam-Son Farms and is by Empire Maker – Checkered Past by Smart Strike. The colt won the Grade 3 Bob Hope takes at seven furlongs and was recently second in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. 11 at 1 1/16 miles.

Another Canadian (Ontario)-bred 3-year-old colt, GOD OF LOVE (Cupid-No Wonder, by Three Wonders) was expected to contest the WITHERS STAKES (G3) on Saturday at Aqueduct but trainer Mark Casse has kept the chestnut colt in Florida and will send him to Tampa Bay Downs for the Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 12.

The Withers is at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt and Aqueduct, like many northeastern tracks, has been ducking and diving tough winter storms and plenty of snow. The field of 11 (race eight with a 4:25 pm. post time) is not a stellar group at this point – just one colt has posted a Beyer Figure higher than 78 – but these are developing horses.

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