Aqueduct: Caixa Eletronica wins Fall Highweight - with help from his owner

Jessica Hansen/NYRA

Caixa Eletronica wins the Fall Highweight under Javier Castellano, who followed owner Mike Repole's instructions to keep the horse close to the leader.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While Todd Pletcher’s away, owner Mike Repole will play . . . trainer.

Given the green light by Pletcher to give instructions to Javier Castellano on how to ride Caixa Eletronica in Thursday’s Fall Highweight at Aqueduct, Repole told Castellano to keep the late-running 7-year-old closer to the pace than he is accustomed.

That strategy worked as Caixa Eletronica zipped past the loose-on-the-lead This Ones for Phil inside the eighth pole en route to a four-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,00 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct. This Ones for Phil was second by 4 1/2 lengths over Mine Over Matter, who stumbled badly at the start. Small Town Talk was fourth followed by Willy Beamin, who was reported by the New York Racing Association to have bled.

Caixa Eletronica’s final time of 1:08.69 for six furlongs is the fourth-fastest clocking for a Fall Highweight in its 99-year history. Only Ariel Lad (1:08.40 in 1944), Hitex (1:08.40 in 1952), and Senor Speedy (1:08.62 in 1991) ran faster. None of those horses carried 133 pounds, as did Caixa Eletronica.

The win was the 19th from 60 career starts for Caixa Eletronica, a 7-year-old son of Arromanches. It was the third graded win of this year for Caixa Eletronica, who in April won the Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic at 1 1/8 miles and in June the Grade 2 True North at Belmont at seven furlongs.

In the True North, Caixa Eletronica unleashed a furious rally from last to get up. In the Fall Highweight, when Poseidon’s Warrior scratched, it looked as though This Ones for Phil would be the lone speed, which explained why he was sent off as the 4-5 favorite.

With Pletcher celebrating the Thanksgiving Day holiday with his family, he told Repole: “I’m not there. You do what you want,” according to Repole.

Repole said he instructed Castellano to keep Caixa Eletronica “in the game."

"Do not let This Ones for Phil get away," Repole said he told Castellano. "If he walks the dog and goes 23 and 46 and we come up a suck-up second, I will be furious. I said I’d rather come in last. He said, ‘I’ll do what you want.’”

Castellano had Caixa Eletronica within 1 1/2 lengths of the lead as This Ones for Phil, under Ramon Dominguez, jumped quickly from the gate and set fractions of 22.57 seconds and 44.84 for the opening half-mile.

Caixa Eletronica came to This Ones for Phil at the eighth pole and drew off in the final furlong to get the win. He returned $6.40 as the second choice.

Repole said that Caixa Eletronica will be remain in training next year.

“Caixa’s just a special horse and a fun horse to own,” said Repole, who claimed the horse for $62,500 in March 2011. “He might as well be a gelding. He’s coming back. He’s a fun horse to own. We’ll run him until he tells us not to and I promise to get him a great home.”

* Earlier on the card, Discreet Marq took the lead soon after the start under Eddie Castro and scored a 1 1/4-length victory over 8-5 favorite Heart of New York in the $80,000 Lie Low Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the turf.

Owned by Patricia Generazio and trained by James Ryerson, Discreet Marq, a New York-bred daughter of Discreet Cat, ran a mile in 1:37.64 over firm turf and returned $36.60 to win. Her victory triggered a pick-six carryover of $30,513 into Friday’s card.