Share the Ride has first graded stakes victory in Fall Highweight

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Share the Ride, claimed for $16,000 in July, became a graded stakes winner on Sunday, persevering past a stubborn Tribecca to win the Grade 3, $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct.

Stan the Man closed from fifth to get second by a head over Absentee, who got third by a nose over Tribecca. Drafted, Arch Cat, and Majestic Dunhill completed the order of finish.

The win was the eighth from 20 career starts for Share the Ride, a 5-year-old gelding by Candy Ride. It was his third win from eight starts since being claimed by owner Silvino Ramirez and trainer Antonio Arriaga out of a winning effort at Monmouth Park on July 5.

Share the Ride, who won the listed Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth in September, gave Arriaga his first graded stakes victory as a trainer.

“It feels good,” Arriaga said.

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Share the Ride was running back just 11 days after he won an allowance race at Parx, a race which came 18 days after he was beaten a head by Majestic Dunhill in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler at Belmont Park.

“Instead of breezing him we run him,” said Arriaga, who added that Share the Ride’s victory at Parx was “an easy spot.”

The Fall Highweight was not easy.

Tacking co-highweight of 133 pounds under Jose Ortiz, Share the Ride chased the pacesetting Tribecca, carrying 130 pounds under Kendrick Carmouche, through a quarter in 23.03 seconds. He crept up alongside after a half-mile in 46.14 seconds, and Share the Ride and Tribecca slugged it out until deep stretch, where Share the Ride edged away.

Share the Ride covered six furlongs in 1:10.62 and returned $5.20 as the favorite.

Ortiz, who was riding Share the Ride for the first time, said Arriaga told him to sit off Tribecca “but don’t let him get away. Once he made the lead he kind of just stayed there and when Tribecca came back on him he put his head down and just kept going. He’s got a lot of guts, a lot of heart.”

The victory was one of four wins on the card for Ortiz, who had only four wins at the meet entering the card.

Arriaga, who said he has seven horses based at Belmont, said he hopes to run Share the Ride in the winter sprint stakes at Aqueduct, a program that includes the Gravesend on Jan. 2, the Toboggan on Jan. 30, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool in March.