chateau | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rob Atras Celebrates ‘Breakthrough Year’ With Maracuja In 2021

Just two live race days remain in 2021 to complete a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit. The NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of New York-based racing personalities to get their reflections on a memorable year.

Canadian-born trainer Rob Atras – with the support of his wife and assistant Brittney -went out on his own in 2019 following a tenure working as an assistant for Robertino Diodoro.

The 36-year-old native of Winnipeg, Manitoba has steadily improved his stock over the course of three seasons, enjoying his best year yet in 2021 [336-70-51-51, $3,942,669] by securing his first graded stakes victory with American Power in the Grade 3 Toboggan in January at the Big A, which was followed in March by Chateau's score in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap. In July, Atras secured his first Grade 1 victory with Maracuja in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course.

How would you describe your 2021 campaign?

Atras: “It's been a breakthrough year in a sense. We upgraded our stock quite a bit and that showed in the results. We won a couple of graded stakes races earlier in the year and capped it off with a Grade 1 win with Maracuja. We have a bigger barn, but we have a lot of quality in our barn as well. Last year we were in the high 30s and now we have close to 50 horses in the barn.”

Every trainer's business model is different – describe yours.

Atras: “We go for quality over quantity and we try to be competitive every time we enter. If a horse can win a race, they're good at any level in my book. We have some good 2-year-olds this year and we've had some owners send us homebreds as well as some bought from the sales – so, we have an all-around stable.

“There's so many things that go into the success. We have really good exercise riders, grooms and hotwalkers in the barn. Our foreman, Rafael Lechuga, has been with us since Day One. It's fun to win any race, just to have everyone smile, celebrate and be happy together. They put a lot of pride into their work.”

What was your favorite win this year?

Atras: “We had a lot of winners and a lot of memorable wins this year. But it's tough to not say Maracuja in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. The whole race was fun. She broke well and then I got to wondering if they were going a little quick. Then seeing her back up [down the backstretch] I was wondering, 'What's going on here, are we out of horse.' But then she starts picking up steam again. In that moment, I was thinking she could at least hit the board, so I felt relieved she wasn't stopping. Down the stretch, I was just thrilled to be in the race, and then for her to get her nose down and beat a filly like Malathaat is just out of this world.

“It was just a real heads up ride by Ricardo Santana, Jr. In a Grade 1 – under that much pressure – to make the decision to drop back like that was pretty impressive.”

What was it like being featured on America's Day At The Races?

Atras: “That was neat. It's a great program and it was cool to be featured on there. My mom and dad watch it, they don't miss a race. We came into the CCA Oaks as underdogs. We were a little disappointed that we couldn't replicate that in her next race in the Alabama, but that's alright.”

As someone who maintains a heavy division in New York all year long, what are the benefits of the New York racing and breeding program.

Atras: “If I had some land, I wish I could have a few mares out of New York. They run for great money and have great incentives for the breeders and owners. I think it's a great program. The quality is there, too. You can see it in the races with deeper fields and this year you get a 3-year-old horse like Americanrevolution to win a Grade 1 [Cigar Mile] against older horses. There's a lot of nice New York-breds here, for sure.”

What are your goals for 2022?

Atras: “Keep winning! We had a great year this year and I'd love to carry that into next year and build on it. I'm also sending a small string to Oaklawn for the winter. Maracuja will be there and hopefully her first start or two will be down there before she comes back to New York. We'll bring a few local horses to run in some of the claiming races and maybe pick up some horses to bring back up to New York in the spring.”

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Chateau Goes Gate To Wire In Gravesend

With the scratch of Grade 3 Bold Ruler winner Wondrwherecraigis, five horses remained to contest the six-furlong Gravesend, but it turned out to be a one-horse race in the end. From the break to the finish line, it was all Chateau, who took the lead a few strides out of the gate and never relinquished it, getting his first win since March's Grade 3 Tom Fool.

In his last start in the Fall Highweight, Chateau took the lead at the start, but faded to third under the race's heaviest impost of 131 pounds. Sunday, carrying 126 pounds, the 6-year-old gelding was able to run as he pleased, jockey Kendrick Carmouche putting him on the front and striding out to a 1 1/2 length lead early with Jaxon Traveler stalking. Around the race's only turn, Chateau maintained his lead, with Jaxon Traveler pressing on his outside.

Into the stretch, jockey Jose Lezcano put Jaxon Traveler to a drive, but the 3-year-old Maryland bred could not catch Chateau, who was running comfortably on the lead. At the wire, Chateau was 3 1/2 lengths in front, with Jaxon Traveler able to hold off a driving Drafted for second. Majestic Dunhill, who reared at the start and was never in contention, finished fourth and Wendell Fong completed the order of finish.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:11.26. Find this race's chart here.

Chateau paid $5.20, $2.90, and $2.10. Jaxon Traveler paid $3.00 and $2.10. Drafted paid $2.10.

“I think the scratch [of No. 5, Wondrwherecraigis] was a factor, but I'm very happy with the way Chateau ran. He showed his speed and finished up really nice today,” trainer Rob Atras said after the race.

“When the track is favoring his type of go, he loves it. Today, I just knew I had to break, stay outside and let him run his race. He dragged me around there. He kept fighting. Every time he heard the other horse coming, he wanted a little bit more,” jockey Kendrick Carmouche told the NYRA Press Office after the Gravesend.

Bred in Kentucky by Preston Stables LLC, Chateau is by Flat Out of the With Distinction mare Distinct Sparkle. He is owned by Michael Dubb. Consigned by Four Star Sales, the 6-year-old gelding was purchased by Wayne W. Rice for $5,500 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Yearling Sale. With his win in the Gravesend, Chateau has three wins in eight starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of eight wins in 39 starts and career earnings of $615,019.

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Hopeful Treasure Passes Chateau Late To Win Fall Highweight Handicap

Hopeful Treasure shipped in from Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn., for the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack and he made the van ride north worth it with a narrow victory over a surging Green Light Go and a tiring Chateau.

Out of the gate in the six-furlong stakes, the favored Chateau, carrying 131 pounds, grabbed a two-length lead, with Rough Entry, War Tocsin, and Hopeful Treasure stalking the pace down the backstretch. Hopeful Treasure, carrying 128 pounds, moved up to second after a first quarter-mile in :22.51, maintaining his second-place position around the far turn as Chateau continued to lead by two lengths. Fifth early, Green Light Go, carrying 129 pounds, switched from the rail to the outside on the turn, with Chateau going into the stretch still on the lead, Hopeful Treasure and Green Light Go chasing.

Down the stretch at the Ozone Park, N.Y., racetrack, Chateau dug in, trying to hold onto the lead, but Hopeful Treasure's closing bid gave him enough to catch the former frontrunner in the last sixteenth. Green Light Go was able to get by Chateau in the waning strides before the wire, but was too late to catch Hopeful Treasure, who won by a head.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:11.19. Find this race's chart here.

Hopeful Treasure paid $38.00, $11.40, and $6.30. Green Light Go paid $5.90 and $5.40. Chateau paid $3.50.

“The horse is a nice horse. He ran a monster race last out and he was just starting to come into himself. He was feeling great, and this was his owner's [Tony Como] idea. He said, 'Let's give this horse a shot'. Tony has had the confidence in him from Day One. He ran a couple of good races in his past, he just needed some time to mature into himself and grow. He got a great ride from his jockey in his last start and today, he got the same ride. It just worked out,” trainer Michael Catalano Jr. said after the race.

“I know him really well even though it's only been my second time riding him. I've worked him since he was a baby. I told the trainer and owner that he was going to compete and run his best race. They just had him ready,” jockey Mychel Sanchez told the NYRA Press Office after the Fall Highweight. “I broke awesome and got in good position early in the race. I was always confident. I knew I could go by the one horse [Chateau] any time. I was only concerned if anyone else was going to close better than him, but he got it done.”

Bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm, Hopeful Treasure is by Oxbow out of the Giant's Causeway mare Elle Special. He is owned by Just In Time Racing. The 4-year-old ridgling was consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock and purchased by Mike Pino, agent, for $6,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. With his win in the G3 Fall Highweight, Hopeful Treasure has three wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of six wins in 14 starts and career earnings of $282,402.

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Chateau Will Try To Regain Winning Form In Fall Highweight

Michael Dubb's Chateau will carry a co-field high 131 pounds in Sunday's Grade 3, $200,000 Fall Highweight, a six-furlong handicap for 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 108th renewal of the Fall Highweight, slated as Race 8, is one of three stakes on Sunday's card, along with the $150,000 Autumn Days at six furlongs on the outer turf for fillies and mares; and the $100,000 Tepin for 2-year-old fillies competing at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf.

In total, the week's slate at the Big A will offer 10 stakes worth more than $1.7 million in purses. First post on Sunday's card is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

Trained by Rob Atras, Chateau finished seventh last out in a Parx allowance sprint under returning rider Kendrick Carmouche on September 14. However, the 6-year-old Flat Out gelding boasts a tremendous record over the Big A main track with a ledger of 10-5-2-2 for purse earnings of $318,443.

“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.

Chateau has enjoyed a productive 2021 campaign, posting a record of 6-2-1-1 led by a score in the six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap at the Big A in March. He followed that effort with a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April at Aqueduct and a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Runhappy in May at Belmont.

Chateau worked a sharp half-mile in 47.88 seconds over the Belmont dirt training track on November 14.

“We usually don't breeze him too fast, but he was really strong that day,” Atras said. “We're hoping that's an indication that he's ready to run a big race.”

Carmouche retains the mount from post 1.

Sir Alfred James, trained and co-owned by Norman Cash with Lola Cash, will also carry 131 pounds. The multiple stakes-placed son of Munnings has flourished in his 5-year-old campaign, posting a record of 9-3-2-2 for purse earnings of $310,912.

Claimed for $62,5000 out of a winning effort in an optional-claiming sprint in September at Churchill Downs, Sir Alfred James followed with a fifth in the Grade 2 Phoenix in October at Keeneland ahead of a close third, defeated a neck to Necker Island, in the six-furlong Bet On Sunshine in November at Churchill.

Sir Alfred James enters from a head score over graded-stakes winner Long Range Toddy in a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint on November 17 at Churchill.

John McKee retains the mount from post 6.

Stronach Stables' homebred Green Light Go will look to recapture the form of his spectacular juvenile campaign for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

The now 4-year-old Hard Spun colt won 2-of-3 juvenile starts in 2019, including a win in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special ahead of a runner-up effort to Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont.

Green Light Go made just two sophomore starts, both at Gulfstream Park, finishing third in the Grade 3 Swale and second in the Roar. He was transferred to Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer for the first four starts of his current campaign, posting an optional-claiming win in April traveling 1 1/16-miles at Oaklawn Park. The colt made his most recent effort in the care of trainer Mike Doyle when sixth in the six-furlong Grade 3 Vigil on August 1 at Woodbine.

Green Light Go has posted five consecutive bullet breezes at Belmont in preparation for the Fall Highweight, including a three-furlong blowout in 36 flat Wednesday morning over the dirt training track. Green Light Go, who adds blinkers, will carry 129 pounds when exiting post 2 under Dylan Davis.

Rounding out the field are Smooth B [post 3, Manny Franco, 126 pounds], Hopeful Treasure [post 4, Mychel Sanchez, 128 pounds], Wendell Fong [post 5, Trevor McCarthy, 129 pounds], Rough Entry [post 7, Luis Saez, 128 pounds], and War Tocsin [post 8, Dexter Haddock, 127 pounds].

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