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Duopoly Records Front-Running Victory In Winter Memories At Aqueduct

Klaravich Stables' Duopoly surged to the front and never relinquished the lead, going gate-to-wire while holding off game longshot High Opinion in deep stretch for a three-quarters of a length score in Sunday's $100,000 Winter Memories for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

One of two entrants for trainer Chad Brown, Duopoly, who was coming off a fifth-place effort in her stakes debut last out in the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View last month at Keeneland, broke sharp from post 5 under Irad Ortiz, Jr., leading the seven-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.75 seconds and the half in 50.15 on the inner turf coursed labeled good.

With Vigilantes Way giving close pursuit, Duopoly continued to lead, with three-quarters going in 1:14.52, and continued to pace the field out of the final turn, being kept near the rail when straightening for home. In the stretch, the Animal Kingdom filly responded to her jockey's urging as Vigilantes Way pressed her from the immediate outside while High Opinion made a valiant charge from the three-path.

High Opinion pulled into second and continued to challenge, but Duopoly completed the 1 1/16-mile course in a final time of 1:44.80 to notch her third win in five career starts.

“She relaxed and went so well,” said Ortiz, Jr., who registered his day's third win. “She went into the first turn pretty well and when we got to the backside, she started getting out a little bit, but I didn't panic because I knew she could do it and I knew she would keep going. I just rode her with patience, relaxed and didn't try to fight her too much. Turning for home, I asked her, and she had plenty left.”

Off at 5-2, Duopoly returned $7.90 on a $2 win wager. The $160,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale improved her career earnings to $128,034.

“There wasn't too much speed in the race today, so we wanted to take advantage of that,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “We know she's fast, so I let her break out of there and she was comfortable. She did it pretty easy.”

Woodford Racing and Team D Stable's High Opinion, the longest shot in the field at 25-1, rewarded trainer Tony Dutrow's decision to elevate her to stakes company following her last-out win on October 10 at Belmont, finishing a half-length in front of Vigilantes Way for second.

“The filly ran very well. I was expecting a big run from her,” said Eric Cancel, the rider aboard High Opinion. “Her last performance was really good. Today, she stepped up in the game and ran very well. I had a nice trip. I tried to follow the winner, and everything worked out well. We didn't win, but I'm very happy with the way that she ran. She's a pretty brave filly. She kept on fighting and never gave up.”

Speaktomeofsummer, Selflessly [also trained by Brown], Crystalle and Faccio Io completed the order of finish. Thankful, entered for the main track only, was scratched.

Live racing resumes on Thursday at the Big A with a 10-race card. First post is 11:50 a.m.

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After Third-Place Finish In Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Firenze Fire To Stretch Out In Cigar Mile

Trainer Kelly Breen said Mr. Amore Stable's multiple graded-stakes winner Firenze Fire will make his next start in the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“He's back at Belmont and that's what we're pointing for,” said Breen.

The 5-year-old Poseidon's Warrior bay rallied from 11th to finish third last out in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland Racetrack under Jose Lezcano.

“It was a good race,” said Breen.

Breen said Lezcano, aboard for Firenze Fire's Grade 2 Vosburgh Invitational win on Sept. 26 at Belmont, will retain the mount for the Cigar Mile.

Top contenders confirmed for the Cigar Mile include Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby-winner King Guillermo and 2019 Grade 3 Discovery-winner Performer. Other horses under consideration for the Cigar Mile include New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff and last-out Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap-winner Majestic Dunhill.

Breen took over training duties for Firenze Fire earlier this year and has saddled the horse to a record of two wins from six starts, including a victory in the Grade 2 True North on June 27 on a fast Belmont main track. Two of Firenze Fire's losses for Breen came in Grade 1 events – the Carter Handicap at Belmont and the Forego at Saratoga – on sloppy tracks.

The Cigar Mile Day card also includes a pair of Grade 2, $150,000 nine-furlong events for juveniles in the Remsen and its filly counterpart, the Demoiselle, as well as the Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile.

Breen will send out New Jersey-bred Pickin' Time, a John Bowers, Jr. homebred, in the Remsen. The Stay Thirsty colt earned an 82 Beyer Speed Figure last out, winning the Grade 3 Nashua at a one-turn mile on the Big A main.

“He came out of it in good order,” said Breen.

Breen said Mr. Amore Stable's New York homebred It's a Gamble could target the $100,000 Central Park, a 1 1/16-mile turf tile for juveniles on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct.

“I'm not sure what we're going to do, but that is a possibility,” said Breen.

The English Channel bay graduated at first asking in a state-bred turf sprint on Aug. 13 at Saratoga ahead of a fourth in the one-mile Nownownow on Oct. 4 on the Monmouth Park turf. Last out, on Oct. 31, It's a Gamble bobbled at the start of the 1 1/16-mile Awad on yielding Belmont turf and failed to menace when seventh.

Gary and Mary West's Full Impact, a 3-year-old Street Sense colt, earned a 94 Beyer for his impressive 4 1/2-length score in a first-level allowance on Nov. 13 contested at 6 1/2-furlongs on a sloppy and sealed Big A main.

Out of the multiple graded stakes winning Even the Score mare Four Gifts, Full Impact was purchased for $140,000 at the Keenland September Yearling Sale.

Breen said no future targets have been set as of yet for the promising colt.

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‘A Fun Horse To Have’: Weaver Weighing Options For Majestic Dunhill

Trainer George Weaver said R.A. Hill Stable's Majestic Dunhill, who made the grade last out in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park, will make his next start at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y., in either the six-furlong Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap or the Grade 1 Cigar Mile.

The 5-year-old Majesticperfection gelding was game to the wire to win the seven-furlong Bold Ruler by a head over Share the Ride on a muddy Belmont main track. Weaver said he will take a close look at how both the Fall Highweight and Cigar Mile fields shape up before deciding.

“We'll see how both races come up. I'm sure the Cigar Mile will have some heavyweights in there,” said Weaver. “Majestic Dunhill is a gelding, so we're not looking to establish stud value with him. We're trying to make as much money as possible and spot him as best we can. The way the two fields stack up will factor heavily in our decision. He's a fun horse to have.”

Majestic Dunhill, who earned a career-best 100 Beyer winning the Bold Ruler, boasts a record of 21-5-4-4 with purse earnings of $373,214.

Weaver said he may also have a contender for the Cigar Mile undercard with Brereton C. Jones' Dollar Mountain in the Grade 2, $150,000 Demoiselle at nine furlongs on the main track.

The dark bay daughter of Upstart garnered a 64 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating by 5 1/2-lengths at second asking on Oct. 16 in an off-the-turf 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight contested on a sloppy and sealed Belmont strip.

“Dollar Mountain broke her maiden nicely and she could be in consideration for the Demoiselle,” said Weaver.

Jim and Susan Hill's Lead Guitar, a 4-year-old daughter of Maclean's Music bred in New York by Windylea Farm, will look to run her win streak to four in the $100,000 Autumn Days, an open six-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up slated for Nov. 29 at the Big A.

The talented bay launched her career in June 2019 under Weaver's care, including a third-out graduation on the Saratoga turf under Luis Saez.

After making the first four starts of her 4-year-old campaign for trainer Eddie Kenneally, including a restricted Aug. 20 optional-claiming sprint score on the Saratoga turf, Lead Guitar returned to Weaver's care and captured an open optional-claiming turf sprint on the front end on Sept. 20 at Belmont ahead of a rallying score in the open Floral Park on Oct. 17 over six furlongs of soft turf at Belmont.

Weaver said the filly, who sports a record of 10-5-2-1 with purse earnings of $235,678, likes to win races.

“She's a New York-bred and she has a lot of talent and that helps her knock out some wins,” said Weaver. “She's consistent in open company races too and she's developed into a really nice turf sprinter.”

R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables' Vekoma was retired from racing and will stand stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2021. The Candy Ride chestnut spiked a temperature in the build-up to what was to be his final career start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

“He was training great. We had some feet trouble with him over the summer and we got him going right and he ended up developing a fever when it was time to go over there and run,” said Weaver. “It was disappointing, but we're so proud of the horse and he's going on to his second career. We're all really happy for him.”

A six-time winner from eight starts with more than $1.2 million in purse earnings, Vekoma graduated on debut in September 2018 at Belmont Park and followed with a score in the 2018 Grade 3 Nashua at the Big A.

The popular chestnut added the 2019 Grade 2 Blue Grass to his ledger at Keeneland ahead of finishing 12th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. Vekoma was perfect in three starts this season, including Grade 1 wins at Belmont in the Runhappy Carter Handicap in June and the Runhappy Met Mile in July.

“He provided us with many memories. The Blue Grass win was special but to come back and win the Carter and Met Mile, those are big races, too,” said Weaver.

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NYRA-Churchill Downs Cross Country Pick 5 Continues Throughout November

The popular Cross Country Pick 5 wager, hosted by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), continues throughout November when there is Thoroughbred racing from both Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., and Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Every day will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

November will feature 12 Cross Country Pick 5 wagers from the fall meets at Aqueduct Racetrack and Churchill Downs though to Sunday, Nov. 29, which is closing day of Churchill's fall meet. In addition to today's card at the Big A, the wagers will take place on days when both tracks are racing.

Those Cross Country Pick 5 days will be:

– Thursday, Nov. 19 – Sunday, Nov. 22 (four days); and

– Friday, Nov. 27 – Sunday, Nov. 29 (three days)

Live coverage will be available with America's Day at the Races on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. Free Equibase past performances for all Cross Country Pick 5 sequences will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

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