Dutrow: My horse can't lose

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Two years ago, Richard Dutrow Jr. felt he had the horse to beat in the Fall Highweight Handicap in Late Carson. The bettors who made Late Carson the even-money favorite headed home disappointed when the horse finished fifth.

Thursday, Dutrow will saddle Well Fancied, whom he firmly believes is the right one in the $100,000 Fall Highweight, the traditional Thanksgiving Day feature at Aqueduct. First post for the nine-race card is 11 a.m. with last post at 2:37 p.m.

"I don't think he can lose," Dutrow said. "Seeing what this horse has done and seeing how he's been training he's going to be very tough to beat. He's going to sit right off the pace. He's dangerous right now."

The Fall Highweight drew 10 runners, but not Voodoo, whose connections will pass because they felt the horse was unfairly weighted at 136 pounds. Thus, True Direction will be the starting highweight at 134 pounds.

Well Fancied is one of three starters weighted at 133 pounds. He is coming off victories in the General Douglas MacArthur Handicap and Hudson Handicap, both races restricted to New York-breds. In the Hudson, he fought his way through a narrow opening along the rail to win by one length.

On Sunday, Well Fancied worked a half-mile in 47.29 seconds at Aqueduct, his third consecutive bullet work.

"I've never seen him doing this good," said Dutrow, whose horse will break from post 10 under Shaun Bridgmohan.

True Direction and Smooth Jazz, both 3-year-olds, and Crossing Point figure to be Well Fancied's toughest competitors. True Direction is coming off a neck loss to Say Florida Sandy in a classified allowance race on Nov. 8. It was his first start off a 50-day layoff.

Trainer Carlos Morales said he is concerned about True Direction carrying so much weight because he likens the horse "to a body-builder with skinny legs."

Smooth Jazz, trained by Todd Pletcher is coming off a third-level allowance win at one mile in which he raced close to the lead. Last winter, when trained by Tony Dutrow, Smooth Jazz won his maiden and the Best Turn Stakes - both at six-furlongs - from just off the pace.

"I don't think he needs the lead at all," Pletcher said. "I'd like him in a position where he's in the clear."

Smooth Jazz drew post 5 and will be ridden by John Velazquez.

Maryland shipper Crossing Point is coming off a track-record performance at Laurel Park and is the one to catch under Ryan Fogelsonger.

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