A field of eight go in Sunday’s $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct. (Photo credit: © George Zilberman | Dreamstime.com)
The speedy Chateau is looking to wire the field when he takes on seven foes in Sunday’s $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct.
The Rob Atras trainee faded to finish a well beaten seventh in his last outing at Parx Racing. The gelding is a five-time winner over the Aqueduct main track.
“He likes to run around those turns. The turns are a little sharper at Aqueduct as opposed to Saratoga or Belmont and he really seems to relish the surface. It’s the perfect distance for him,” Atras said.
Wendell Fong (4-1) is another that was beaten double digit lengths last out and can rebound. He was beaten 15 lengths in the Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) but was coming back off the bench for trainer Chad Summers.
Other contenders including the speedy Sir Alfred James (3-1) and Rough Entry (6-1) who did not finish last out after falling in the Bet On Sunshine at Churchill Downs.
The Fall Highweight is one of three stakes on the Sunday afternoon card. The supporting features are both tur races —the $150,000 Autumn Days at six furlongs on the outer turf for fillies and mares and the $100,000 Tepin for two-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course.
Let’s head out to Aqueduct for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Aqueduct Race 8 The Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) 3:14 ET
1 Chateau 5-2
5 Wendell Fong 4-1
6 Sir Alfred James 3-1
7 Rough Entry 6-1
Chateau
The Atras trainee is looking to bounce back after getting cooked dueling for the early lead against non-conditioned allowance foes at Philly and fading to finish a well beaten seventh at 6-5. The gelding returns to his favorite surface where he has won five of his 19 starts including taking the Tom Fool ‘Cap (G3) back in March here. The gelding owns the edge in early and mid pace numbers and draws the rail. Carmouche sticks and he is going to be tough to catch here if he is able to shake loose early. The Atras barn has been on fire at the meet, winning with 6 of his first 15 starters.
Wendell Fong
The five-year-old caught a sloppy track last out in the Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) when coming back off a 7 ½ month layoff. He chased the early pace and tired to finish sixth. He ran second to our top pick two back in the Tom Fool back in March and prior to that effort earned a career top speed fig winning the Fire Plug at Laurel Park. He reunites with McCarthy who has been on board for a couple of his better efforts and he should move forward second off the bench for the Summers barn.
Sir Alfred James
Invades from Kentucky where last out the gelding set the early fractions and held on to win by a neck against $150,000 optional Claimers going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs. He was beaten just a head and a neck to back when third in the Bet On Sunshine going six furlongs. He is 3 for 6 at this distance including a career best 103 Beyer four back beating second level optional claimers at Churchill Downs. He comes in here sharp but do note he seems to run better with lasix.
Wagering:
WIN: Chateau to win at 9-5 or better.
EXACTA: 1 / 5,6,7 and 1,5 / 1,5,6
