Withers: Reid's Mailata is a maybe for Kentucky Derby prep

Mailata, winner of three straight and entered in Saturday's Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, is a maybe for the race.

Trainer Butch Reid told Horse Racing Nation on Wednesday that one factor is whether the race will even run, considering the string of cancellations as an extreme cold snap continues.

But aside from that, "We're not quite sure if we're going to run in there yet. We've missed a bunch of days of training and stuff," Reid said. "We did get out and get a nice exercise this morning, so we're going to make our decision here in the next day or so."

Withers 2026: Odds, analysis for Saturday's Kentucky Derby prep

Mailata is a Maximus Mischief colt owned and bred by Cash Is King and LC Racing Stable. He broke his maiden at Parx in October in his third start with a 2 1/2-length win at one mile after leading at every call. Then he won the seven-furlong Pennsylvania Nursery by three lengths in November, and his most recent start was a 19-length victory against two others in the Parx Future Stars Stakes, also at seven furlongs. Mychel Sanchez was his jockey for all three wins and was named to ride him Saturday.

"I think the further he goes, the better," Reid said. "That's one of the reasons we were thinking about taking a shot in the Withers. It's a little bit of a big jump from seven-eighths to a mile and an eighth. His father handled it, and I don't see any reason he can't right now. I don't see any limit to the distances that he may be able to go."

Reid won the Withers two years ago with Uncle Heavy, who missed the 2024 Kentucky Derby as an also-eligible and went on to finish sixth in the Preakness. Uncle Heavy also came up through Parx, but Reid said they're very different horses.

"Uncle Heavy was more of a plodder. He'd come from off of it, he got lucky. Field backed up to him a little bit, he'd get the job done. (Mailata) is much more handy. He's lighter weight. Heavy was a big heavyset guy. You know, he was appropriately named.

"And this horse is much more athletic, a little lighter on his feet, and he's got better speed than Heavy. He's got tactical speed. You can kind of put him wherever you want and he'll respond to it."

Reid said that if the Withers doesn't happen for Mailata, the target will be the Grade 3 Gotham at one mile on Feb. 28. The Withers offers 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points for Kentucky Derby 2026, and the Gotham offers 50-25-15-10-5.