Aqueduct notes: Verrazano seeks final victory in Cigar Mile

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher didn’t want Verrazano’s fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile to be the lasting impression observers had of the multiple Grade 1-winning 3-year-old.

So, despite the fact that his connections had announced plans to retire the horse after the Breeders’ Cup, Pletcher lobbied his owners to run Verrazano in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. As a Grade 1 winner, Verrazano will be running for the winner’s share of a $750,000 purse.

“I’d like to see him have another chance to finish up the year on a good note,” Pletcher said.

On Saturday, Verrazano, the winner of the Wood Memorial and Haskell Invitational, completed preparations for the Cigar Mile by working four furlongs in 48.86 seconds under Javier Castellano, who will fill in for the injured John Velazquez in the Cigar Mile.

Verrazano worked in company with King’s Bishop winner and Cigar Mile starter Capo Bastone, the two getting their final quarter-mile in 24.61 seconds. Capo Bastone was able to put in a stronger gallop-out in part because Verrazano had to go around a pair of workers who had finished breezing 50 yards in front of him and because Pletcher said he was looking for only a “moderate” gallop-out from Verrazano.

“I was happy with both breezes and both gallop-outs,” Pletcher said.

Capo Bastone, who will be ridden by Joel Rosario in the Cigar Mile, is coming off a last-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, though he was beaten only six lengths.

Earlier in the morning, Pletcher’s third Cigar Mile starter, Forty Tales, worked four furlongs in 49 seconds in company with the 3-year-old filly Galloping Giraffe, who is pointing to Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Comely Stakes.

“Forty Tales is not normally a fast work horse, but he was pretty enthusiastic out there this morning,” Pletcher said.

Other horses Pletcher breezed for next weekend’s stakes included Intense Holiday, who went a half-mile in 48.44 seconds in company with Surfing U S A for the Remsen Stakes, and Stopchargingmaria, who went a half-mile in 50.12 in company with Killer Crossover for the Demoiselle.

A field of eight or nine is shaping up for the Cigar Mile, entries for which will be taken and post positions drawn Wednesday.

In addition to Pletcher’s trio, others expected to run include Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Groupie Doll, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents, two-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Flat Out, Vosburgh winner Private Zone, Bold Ruler winner Clearly Now, and possibly Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Laugh Track.

At the Palm Meadows training center Saturday, Clearly Now worked six furlongs in 1:12.65 and was expected to leave by van for New York on Sunday.

Wedding Toast works for Comely

Wedding Toast, a winner of three straight races, worked a solid half-mile in 48.01 seconds Saturday in preparation for the Comely Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

A tad eager breaking off from the half-mile pole, Wedding Toast went her first quarter in 23.88 seconds before settling in through the stretch, in which she went her last quarter in 24.13.

“She worked well, looks great, doing great, all systems go,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

The Comely, run at 1 1/8 miles, was moved to the fall after the New York Racing Association moved the Grade 1 Gazelle, typically run in this spot on the calendar, to the spring following its being downgraded to a Grade 2.

Last year, McLaughlin and Godolphin Racing won the Gazelle with Dance Card. Wedding Toast has followed a similar pattern as Dance Card, finishing second in her first start before winning three straight races, including the Belle Cherie.

Eight in Fall Highweight

Caixa Eletronica, the defending race winner, and Strapping Groom, the winner of the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga, top a field of eight entered Saturday for Thursday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Fall Highweight Handicap, the traditional Thanksgiving Day feature.

The field includes Grade 1 winner The Lumber Guy, Saturday’s Charm, B Shanny, Jake N Elwood, Palace, and Sage Valley.

Strapping Groom will be the 135-pound starting highweight and break from post 6. Caixa Eletronica, who won this race last year under 133 pounds, will break from post 2 under 132 pounds.

The Lumber Guy is winless in four starts this year, including an 11th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Trainer Mike Hushion said he could not come up with an excuse for The Lumber Guy’s effort and wants to give him a chance to make amends.

◗ After saying Saturday morning that he wasn’t going – and canceling a planned workout – trainer Jeremiah Englehart had a change of heart by early Saturday afternoon and said King Kreesa will run in the Hong Kong Mile on Dec. 8. Englehart, who had some concerns about Hong Kong’s testing protocols, said he planned to work the horse Sunday at Belmont and ship Monday.

◗ Training was delayed 15 minutes Saturday on the training track due to the fatal breakdown of Stonely the Lonely, a 3-year-old who was recently claimed by John Toscano.