Coach Butch Reid has little interest in leaving his cozy base of operations at Parx Racing and transferring to New York.

He has members of the family within the close by Philadelphia space. He’s additionally a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

“I’d have to start out cheering for the Jets and I don’t need to try this,” he mentioned.

Sure, Parx and Philadelphia could also be an indelible a part of Reid’s pedigree, however his occasional jaunts to New York stay as worthwhile and gratifying as ever.

Reid’s newest tour to the Empire State added one other New York Racing Affiliation graded stakes victory to his résumé as Michael Milam’s Uncle Heavy rallied with gusto within the remaining 50 yards to catch El Grande O within the remaining leap and take the $250,000 Withers Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 3 at Aqueduct.

“I’ve at all times thought all together with this horse the additional the higher and he actually proved that in the present day,” Reid mentioned. “So a mile and an eighth is unquestionably inside his grasp. He missed one in every of his breezes and some days of galloping resulting from inclement climate, so for him to do what he did in the present day it’s actually a testomony to his staying capacity.”

By efficiently dealing with the space, Uncle Heavy, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion, put himself within the thick of the Triple Crown chase, because the bay colt picked up 20 qualifying factors towards a begin within the Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve. The velocity he flashed within the remaining strides to get his nostril in entrance on the wire, after trailing by 3 ½ lengths on the eighth pole, additionally bodes properly for dealing with the traditional, mile-and-a-quarter distance.

“It regarded like he was hitting his greatest stride 50 yards from the wire. He actually began stretching out. He’s a giant sturdy dude and I don’t suppose there’s any distance issues,” Reid mentioned. “He’s proper there with the top of the category of 3-year-olds I’ve educated. He’s a large, long-striding colt and they aren’t simple to come back by.

“It’s actually labored out nice with the brief ship right here for us the previous couple of years. We’ve been aggressive within the stakes and it’s a testomony to the homeowners which are going to the sale and spending the cash,” added Reid, who additionally received the 2010 Withers with Afleet Once more. “The buildings get tall up right here, as they wish to say, but when you may get half (of the purse) it really works out very well.”

Reid’s latest success didn’t actually resonate with the bettors because the Pennsylvania-bred was despatched off at 9.30-1 and was sixth within the subject of 9 below Mychel Sanchez after a gap quarter-mile in :24.14.

Barry Schwartz’s New York-bred El Grande O was a head off the lead after contested splits of :49.49 and 1:14.44 over the muddy, sealed monitor and pulled away to a seemingly secure three-length lead with a furlong to go, however Uncle Heavy, who was huge on each turns from submit 8 and had moved as much as third after six furlongs, wouldn’t be denied within the remaining strides. The ultimate time was 1:53.79.

Reid mentioned the April 6 Wooden Memorial Stakes Offered by Resorts World On line casino on the Massive A would seemingly be subsequent for the son of the Tiz Great mare Anticipate Great, bred by Reid’s sister-in-law Barbara Reid.

Coach Linda Rice was unsure of future plans for El Grande O, a Take Cost Indy colt who obtained 10 qualifying factors and now has 15.

“It was a very good effort,” Rice mentioned. “He took numerous early stress, which I didn’t count on.”

Lightline, the 1.15-1 favourite educated by Brad Cox, was 2 ½ lengths again in third. The son of Metropolis of Mild picked up six factors in his stakes debut.

A winner of three of 4 begins, Uncle Heavy, named, as Reid put it, after “the unique Uncle Heavy, my brother Mark (Barbara’s husband),” has earned $293,580.