Complexion of Fall Highweight likely to change by post time
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It might be best to wait until as late as possible to handicap Thursday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Fall Highweight Handicap, the annual Thanksgiving Day feature at Aqueduct.
Between the threat of inclement weather and the fact that five of the 11 horses are cross-entered in other races, the final complexion of the field may not be known until it’s time to put the turkey in the oven. First post Thursday is 11:25 a.m., and the Fall Highweight, the eighth of nine races, goes off at 2:42 p.m.
Though he was expected Wednesday to cross-enter Salutos Amigos in Saturday’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile, trainer David Jacobson sounded Tuesday as if he was leaning toward running in the Fall Highweight. Jacobson views the Fall Highweight as an easier race than the Cigar Mile, which he called “a borderline Breeders’ Cup race” with the likes of Itsmyluckyday, Secret Circle, and Private Zone expected.
brightcove.createExperiences();Jacobson also has Grade 1 winner Strapping Groom entered in the Fall Highweight, but he is cross-entered in the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Handicap, a race at Penn National that was moved from Wednesday to Saturday due to the threat of snow in the Grantville, Pa., region Wednesday night.
Strapping Groom, Tightend Touchdown, Weekend Hideaway, and River Rocks all were cross-entered in the Fall Highweight and Fabulous Strike. The postponement, announced Tuesday, gives their connections more time to make decisions.
KEY CONTENDERS
Salutos Amigos (Last 3 Beyers: 97-106-101)
The question is whether he can be as effective going six furlongs as he was in winning the Bold Ruler at seven furlongs Oct. 25. Salutos Amigos, 1 for 7 at six furlongs, was beaten three lengths when finishing seventh behind Work All Week in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, run one week after the Bold Ruler.
“There’s enough speed in the race,” Jacobson said of the Fall Highweight. “He ran three-quarters at Santa Anita on a track not favoring closers that day, and I was just very impressed with the way he ran.”
He’s 2 for 3 at Aqueduct and 3 for 3 over a wet track. Rain, possibly mixing with or changing to snow, was expected Wednesday in the New York metropolitan area.
Strapping Groom (Last 3 Beyers: 89-100-110)
Has been plagued by quarter cracks since his last race, a fifth-place finish in Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April. Now, Jacobson said, Strapping Groom, the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Forego, is “the soundest he’s ever been in his career.”
Second to Palace in last year’s Fall Highweight.
La Verdad (Last 3 Beyers: 93-94-84)
Trying to join a list that includes Honorable Miss, Ta Wee, What a Summer, Comely, and Gold Beauty as fillies or mares to win the Fall Highweight.
Is 4 for 4 at Aqueduct and 5 for 6 over a wet track.
Could be the proverbial speed of the speed.
“When I saw her go 21 and 3 and 43 and 3 [seconds] at Belmont, I was horrified, but she stood up pretty well to that,” trainer Linda Rice said of La Verdad’s early fractions when beaten a head by Artemis Agrotera in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom.
Bakken (Last 3 Beyers: 96-94-101)
Finished in front of Salutos Amigos when those two ran second and third behind Palace in Grade 2 True North at Belmont. Finished a half-length behind Salutos Amigos when beaten 3 1/2 lengths in the BC Sprint.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Bakken. Trainer Chad Brown is 25-9-6-2 with a $2.50 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints on the NYRA circuit in the third start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Captain Serious. Trainer Michael Hushion is 23-9-2-4 with a $3.98 ROI over the past five years adding blinkers in dirt sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan