Majestic Dunhill, Share the Ride Face a 'Weighty' Test
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Majestic Dunhill (left) edges Share the Ride in the Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park.
The New York Racing Association could definitely rack up some bonus points with its jockey colony if it moves the $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) to the day after Thanksgiving.
The opportunity for the weight-conscious riders to have an extra serving of turkey and stuffing would definitely be welcomed, even if the Fall Highweight doesn't carry as much weight—literally and figuratively—as it did in past years.
Back in 1970, for example, the victorious future Hall of Fame filly Ta Wee carried 140 pounds and gave away 19 pounds to the runner-up in the six-furlong sprint.
When the Fall Highweight is contested for the 107th time Nov. 29 at Aqueduct Racetrack, it will feature a field of seven with the honor of being the highweight shared by Majestic Dunhill and Share the Ride. Each will tote 133 pounds and give away no more than five pounds to their foes.
If the Fall Highweight turns out to be as exciting as the last time the two highweights met, it will be one of the more memorable editions of the sprint stakes.
Matched up in a field of four in the Oct. 31 Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) at Belmont Park, R. A. Hill Stable's Majestic Dunhill sat about 1 1/2 lengths behind the pacesetting Share the Ride for most of the race and then surged past the frontrunner in the final strides to prevail by a head. Share the Ride, owned by Silvino Ramirez, carried 120 pounds that day, two more than Majestic Dunhill.
The Bold Ruler ended a lengthy drought for Majestic Dunhill, a 5-year-old Majesticperfection gelding who had lost 10 consecutive races for trainer George Weaver, dating to a win in the City of Laurel Stakes more than two years ago.
Though entered in the Frank Whiteley Jr. Stakes Nov. 28 at Laurel Park, Majestic Dunhill will be running in the six-furlong Fall Highweight, ending an unusual streak of 12 races at seven-furlong distances.
"It's been a while since he did something different, but we got the graded stakes win for him last time, so it's a good time to experiment," Weaver said. "We were between this and the Cigar Mile (G1, Dec. 5 at Aqueduct), and my hunch is we should back him up a bit to six furlongs. It looks like there's enough speed in there."
A winner of five of 21 starts with earnings of $373,214, Majestic Dunhill will be racing at six furlongs on dirt for the first time and is listed as the 2-1 second choice on the morning line.
Share the Ride, a 5-year-old Candy Ride gelding trained by Antonio Arriaga who was claimed July 5 for $16,000, rebounded from his narrow loss in the Bold Ruler to record a 7 1/2-length win in a Nov. 18 allowance race at Parx Racing.
He's the 9-5 morning-line favorite.
Drafted wins the 2019 Mahab Al Shimaal at Meydan Racecourse
Making his first United States start since 2016 and carrying 131 pounds is Misty Hollow Farm's Drafted (10-1), who carried that much weight in a 2018 stakes in Dubai. A 6-year-old Field Commission gelding trained by David Duggan, the group 3 winner on dirt has not raced since Feb. 29, when he was sixth in the Saudia Cup Sprint Stakes.
"When quarantine hit in Dubai, my longtime friends decided to redirect him to America," Duggan said. "He's been here a couple months now. He spent a month in Maryland and then came to me. He's straightforward. He can be a little funny to gallop, but his works have been very good, and on his best day he can be competitive here. He could be a little ring-rusty, but this race is just a starting point. I wish it were an easier spot, but that's the way it goes in New York. He's working well and is fit enough, so I can't complain."
The field also includes Long Lake Stable's Stan the Man (3-1), a 6-year-old Broken Vow gelding trained by John Terranova II who was third last time out in the mile Kelso Handicap (G2). Stan the Man will tote 132 pounds.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Sunday, November 29, 2020, Race 8Entries: Fall Highweight H. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Arch Cat (KY)
Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
130
Daniel Velazquez
10/1
2
2Drafted (FL)
Dylan Davis
131
David P. Duggan
10/1
3
3Majestic Dunhill (KY)
Jose Lezcano
133
George Weaver
2/1
4
4Absentee (KY)
Junior Alvarado
128
Jorge Duarte, Jr.
20/1
5
5Share the Ride (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
133
Antonio Arriaga
9/5
6
6Stan the Man (KY)
Eric Cancel
132
John P. Terranova II
3/1
7
7Tribecca (NY)
Kendrick Carmouche
130
Chris J. Englehart
8/1
