🏇 2026 Withers Stakes: Who’s Really Built for the Distance? Seven horses. One mile and one-eighth. 20 Kentucky Derby points on the line. In the 2026 Withers Stakes, which runners can actually stay the distance — and which ones are about to be exposed?

📍 Race Basics Race: 2026 Withers Stakes Where: Aqueduct Racetrack When: Friday, February 6 Surface: Dirt Distance: 1 ⅛ miles Kentucky Derby Points: 20 to the winner

This is one of the longest Derby prep races we’ve seen so far, and with a projected fast pace, stamina, trip, and pedigree all matter.

🐎 Horse-by-Horse:

1. Grittiness (Trainer: Todd Pletcher) Grittiness lives up to his name — he keeps grinding and has already tried this distance, but he’s still a maiden who needs another jump forward to turn effort into a win.

2. Schoolyardsuperman (Trainer: Chad Brown) Schoolyardsuperman has looked like the strongest kid on the playground at Aqueduct so far, but now Chad Brown asks him the big question: can that speed carry two turns and a longer distance?

3. Ottinho (Trainer: Chad Brown) Ottinho might sound quiet, but don’t overlook him — he’s the half-brother to Hall of Famer Gun Runner and showed real heart when winning a duel at this exact distance.

4. Star Sweeper (Trainer: Louis Linder) Star Sweeper has been cleaning up sprint races, but this jump in distance and class might be asking him to sweep far more than he’s shown so far.

5. Mailata (Trainer: Robert Reid) Mailata has been delivering wins at Parx like clockwork, and Robert Reid believes the farther he goes the better he gets — but this is a serious step up in competition.

6. Talk to Me Jimmy (Trainer: Rudy Rodriguez) Talk to Me Jimmy finally spoke loud and clear last time when wiring the field, but now he has to prove that voice still carries when the distance stretches out.

7. Fourth and One (Trainer: Jeremiah Englehart) Fourth and One is always in the game and always shows up, but against tougher open company, consistency alone may not be enough to score the win.

🎯 Why This Race Matters The Withers Stakes is a true stamina test on the Kentucky Derby trail. This mile-and-an-eighth distance at Aqueduct can separate real Derby prospects from horses who are just fast early.

👍 CTA If this analysis helped you: Hit the like button Subscribe for more Kentucky Derby prep coverage And share this video with 3 friends who love horse racing and handicapping Drop your pick in the comments — who do you think can actually stay the distance?