Aqueduct: Chatterpaul back and busy

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After saddling Mission Approved in the $6 million Japan Cup, Naipaul Chatterpaul is back from the Far East and will be in action early and often at the Big A on Wednesday.

“It was the experience of a lifetime,” said Chatterpaul, who recently sent Mission Approved to Ocala, Fla., for a freshening. “Now, I gotta try and get some Christmas bonus money.”

Chatterpaul, who won this year’s Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap with Mission Approved exactly one year after claiming him for $35,000, sends out four sprinters Wednesday, three of whom – Speight of Hand (3rd race), Full of Gut (6th) and Those Lion Eyes (8th) – will either be favored or second choice.

Speight of Hand and Full of Gut were each claimed for $14,000 from last-out victories. “You need horses like them that are tactical and near the front on the inner track,” said Chatterpaul. “Full of Gut hadn’t run for a while, so she’s still pretty fresh.”

Full of Gut is a slight 5-2 morning-line choice in the featured $52,000 optional claimer over the Chris Englehart-trained entry of E Z Passer and Spina. Cornelio Velasquez, who won with his last three mounts Sunday, stays on Full of Gut, a six-time winner this year.

Other contenders include Enchante, first-time Rudy Rodriguez; and Speckledbird, a fleet-footed filly coming off a slop win for Bill Mott.

Those Lion Eyes dueled in the Iroquois eight days after Chatterpaul claimed her at Belmont. She has been freshened for her return at six furlongs, where she has been worse than second just once from nine starts.

“That was a tough race, and this looks like a way better spot,” he said.

To win the $44,000 allowance/optional claimer for New York-breds, however, Those Lion Eyes must get past Willet, a promising filly coming off maiden and first-level allowance wins by better than 23 combined lengths for Jimmy Iselin.

Willet breaks from the rail and may go as low as 1-5 against Those Lion Eyes, Laylaben, Landlash, Eden Is Burning and Lady Gracenote.

In the finale, a $25,000 “beaten” claimer, Chatterpaul sends out Khan of Khans, who, although listed at 30-1, was fast enough to set the pace in the Grade 2 True North Handicap back in June.

“He needs to get some confidence back,” said the trainer. “He doesn’t have to get the lead, but he would prefer it.”