Michael Dubb | Horse Racing Free Tips

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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Ortiz Jr., Pletcher Win Leading Jockey, Trainer For Aqueduct Fall Meet

Irad Ortiz, Jr. led all riders at the 15-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack to earn his eighth riding title at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher compiled 13 wins, leading all trainers through the fall meet, with Klaravich Stables claiming the title as leading owner with five wins.

Ortiz, Jr., 29, finished the meet with a record of 76-21-7-12 and earnings of more than $1.44 million, winning at a 27.63% clip. He garnered five stakes victories during the Big A fall meet including a triumph aboard Peter Brant's Serve the King in the Grade 2 Red Smith on November 20 as well as the Key Cents when piloting the Pletcher-trained Classy Edition.

On Saturday, Ortiz, Jr. added three more stakes victories to his ledger when piloting the Brad Cox-conditioned Lady Rocket [G3 Go for Wand], as well as Mo Donegal [G2 Remsen] and Nest [G2 Demoiselle] to their respective wins for Pletcher on Cigar Mile Day.

Despite not riding in New York on Sunday, Ortiz, Jr., who was in his native Puerto Rico to ride at Camarero, maintained his lead over all other riders, with Jose Lezcano and Luis Saez tying for second with 17 wins apiece.

Pletcher scored five stakes wins during the meet, spearheaded by Americanrevolution capturing the G1 Cigar Mile presented by NYRA Bets. In addition to his trio of Cigar Mile Day scores, he saddled Repole Stable's Never Surprised to victory in the Gio Ponti on November 26 and Classy Edition in the Key Cents.

Pletcher boasted a ledger of 52-13-8-7 for the meet with earnings in excess of $1.55 million, while winning at a 25% clip. It was his first Aqueduct fall title since 2018, when he tied with Rudy Rodriguez with a dozen victories apiece.

“We've had a good fall,” Pletcher said. “We had a solid Belmont meet and we were fortunate enough to have a good Aqueduct meet as well so we're thankful. The main thing is you just want the horses to perform to their capabilities. We're fortunate enough to train horses like these. You want to do the best you can with them and it's gratifying to see them do so well.”

Pletcher finished two victories ahead of both Christophe Clement, who captured the 2020 fall meet title at the Big A, and Chad Brown, who won this year's Saratoga and Belmont fall titles.

Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables captured their fourth owner title on the NYRA circuit this season when taking the Aqueduct fall meet title for the second straight year.

Last year, Klaravich Stables tied with Repole Stable for the 2020 fall meet, each owner earning five wins apiece. Klaravich Stables mimicked that amount of victories this fall meet, which included maiden scores with the Chad Brown-trained Inflation Adjusted, Core Conviction, and Marketsegmentation.

Klaravich Stables, NYRA's overall leading owner for the past two years, exited the fall meet with a 17-5-0-5 record and purse earnings of nearly $260,000. Michael Dubb and Repole Stable tied for second with four wins each.

Live racing resumes on Thursday when Aqueduct will kick off the 56-day winter meet which runs through Sunday, March 27. The winter meet will feature 46 stakes races worth nearly $6 million in purses. First post on the eight-race card is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Plum Ali Scores Gate-To-Wire Win In Winter Memories

After winning the first three starts of her career, Plum Ali had been winless in her last seven starts until Sunday's Winter Memories. The daughter of First Samurai grabbed the lead in the early strides of the 1 1/16-mile stakes and made every pole a winning one at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Jockey Manny Franco sent Plum Ali to the lead out of the gate, a departure from her usual racing position behind horses. The 3-year-old filly set early fractions of :23.77, :49.72, and 1:15.28, a moderate pace that allowed Plum Ali to stay a length ahead of the field of ten others.

Into the stretch, the filly was able to stretch her lead out to three lengths, her moderate early pace ensuring she had plenty left in the tank to hold off the closers. At the wire, she was 3/4 of a length in front of the bunched trio of White Frost, Miss Dracarys, and Gam's Mission. Runaway Rumour, Invincible Gal, Bipartisanship, Flown, Out of Sorts, Quinevere, and Batyah rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles over good turf was 1:45.11. Find this race's chart here.

Plum Ali paid $11.20, $5.40, and $3.40. White Frost paid $4.40 and $3.60. Miss Dracarys paid $6.20.

The idea was to be forwardly-placed. She ran very well. He [Manny Franco] gave her a great ride. She's been very unlucky and the filly deserved this,” trainer Christophe Clement said after the race. “The idea was to be 1-2-3 and, if possible, on the lead. If anybody took us on, then sit second or third. Nobody took them on and when I saw the 49 and change and 1:15, I knew she was going to be pretty tough. She's a very nice horse.”

“She broke sharp and I let her do her thing. We ended up on the lead and it worked out,” Franco told the NYRA Press Office after the Winter Memories. “After we broke like that, I wasn't thinking to take back. If they wanted to take the lead, they would have to go faster than me. In the second part of the race, they let me slow down the pace and that was it. She handled it really well.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, Plum Ai is out of the Stroll mare Skipping. She is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Consigned by Stone Farm, Plum Ali was purchased by Cromwell Bloodstock for $65,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Her win in the Winter Memories is her first in seven starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of four wins in 11 starts.

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Orglandes Catches Beautiful Lover, Candy Flower Late To Take Zagora

Candy Flower held the lead from the race's opening strides, but did not have enough left to hold off a late-stretch bid from favorite Orglandes (FR) in the Zagora Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Mike Maker trainee Candy Flower was on the lead first time under the wire in the 1 1/2-mile Zagora, with Always Shopping and Orglandes taking up second and third. Maintaining a three-length advantage throughout, Candy Flower set a steady pace, logging fractions of :24.92 for the first quarter, :49.63 for the half-mile, and 1:15.10 for six furlongs. She looked poised to take the field gate to wire into the far turn, where her lead shrunk to a length as the field entered the stretch.

Irad Ortiz Jr. took Orglandes to the outside on the far turn, as Beautiful Lover pulled even with Candy Flower in the Belmont straightaway. Candy Flower battled back, even with Beautiful Lover, but Ortiz Jr. had Orglandes set down for a drive. She caught the two frontrunners in the race's final strides, getting up to win by a neck. Beautiful Lover was second, while Candy Flower held on for third. Hungry Kitten, Lovely Lucky, Always Shopping, and Go Big Blue Nation rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2.29.28. Find this race's chart here.

Orglandes paid $3.50, $2.90, and $2.40. Beautiful Lover paid $5.00 and $3.40. Candy Flower paid $6.70.

Bred in France by SA Franklin Finance and Elisabeth Vidal, Orglandes is by Le Havre (IRE) out of the Dansili (GB) mare Influence (FR). Trained by Chad Brown, she is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Orglandes was consigned by Coulonces Sales and sold to Sylvain Vidal for $88,245 at the 2017 Arqana Deauville October Yearlings Sale. Her win in the Zagora is the 5-year-old mare's first victory of 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 14 starts and career earnings of $307,022.

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