Hopeful Treasure Digs Deep in Fall Highweight Score

Just In Time Racing's Hopeful Treasure  wore down the pacesetter Chateau  and staved off a late charge from Green Light Go  to post an 18-1 upset in the Nov. 28 $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Michael Catalano Jr., who picked up his first graded stakes win, the 4-year-old Oxbow   ridgling entered the six-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up from a smart allowance score at the same distance Nov. 3 at Parx Racing under returning rider Mychel Sanchez.

"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,'" Catalano said. "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."

Hopeful Treasure, who was making just his third stakes appearance and carrying 128 pounds, tracked the speed of Chateau, who was carrying a field co-high of 131 pounds, through splits of :22.51 and :45.66 over the fast main track.

Chateau opened up through the turn as Hopeful Treasure continued to chase in second and graded stakes winner Green Light Go angled off the rail from third to launch his bid. Chateau opened up a 1 1/2-length advantage at the stretch call, but Hopeful Treasure wore down his rival inside the final sixteenth and held off the outside-rallying Green Light Go to win by a head. Hopeful Treasure covered the distance in 1:11.19, paying $38 on a $2 win bet.

The victory marked the second graded stakes score for Sanchez. The rider said he tried to repeat the winning formula from the Parx allowance score.

"I broke awesome and got in good position early in the race. I was always confident," Sanchez said. "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.

"I know him really well even though it's only been my second time riding him," added Sanchez. "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."

Hopeful Treasure made two previous stakes attempts, both in 2020 on the New York Racing Association circuit, finishing fourth in the Gold Fever at Belmont Park and eighth in the H. Allen Jerkens Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

"There's a lot of options open for him now. Today was a good day for him," Catalano said. "I just hope he gets back to the barn in good form and comes back as good as he's been. We'll see what the next task is.

"He's learning his own running style. He's a horse that has a lot of ability that he doesn't know what to do with yet. He's trained exceptional and everyone has done a good job with him back at the barn."

Green Light Go completed the exacta by 3 1/2 lengths over Chateau. Wendell Fong , War Tocsin , Sir Alfred James , Smooth B , and Rough Entry  rounded out the order of finish.

Hopeful Treasure has banked $282,402 in 14 career starts, from which he has collected a 6-3-1 record. Agent Mike Pino purchased the bay for $6,000 from Ballysax Bloodstock from the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale.

Bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm, Hopeful Treasure is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Elle Special, who delivered a Lord Nelson   colt this year. Elle Special was bred to Kantharos   for 2022.

Video: Fall Highweight H. (G3)

Another Stakes Win for Change of Control in Autumn Days

Perry Harrison's Change of Control  repelled 6-5 favorite Too Sexy 's deep-stretch bid to post a victory by three-quarters of a length in Sunday's $150,000 Autumn Days Stakes for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going six furlongs on Aqueduct's outer turf.

Change of Control, who already registered a pair of graded stakes wins in her 5-year-old campaign, including a last-out score in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County in October at Keeneland, tallied her fourth stakes win of 2021 for trainer Michelle Lovell.

Athwaaq  broke on top from post 6, leading the eight-horse field through fractions of :23.26 and :46.28 over firm going. Jockey Colby Hernandez tucked Change of Control in third position near the rail, with the pocket position enabling her to move up to second out of the turn.

Once straightened for home, Change of Control capitalized with the open seam from the inside, overtaking a tiring Athwaaq. Hernandez kept his charge to task as Too Sexy rallied to pass three rivals, gaining in the shadow of the wire before Change of Control completed the course in a 1:09.14 final time.

Hernandez's rail-riding trip earned Change of Control, off at 7-2, a winner's circle trip, returning $9.90 on a $2 win bet. She improved her career earnings to $739,257 from a 9-6-6 record in 31 starts.

"She gave us a good break and I was right there," Hernandez said. "I tried to pop out and run second but they weren't letting me out. I saw the horse on the front looked like she was going to come out at the top of the stretch and we stayed there and it ended up working out perfect.

"Every single time she runs, it's like she gets better. She's just a cool horse, does nothing wrong, and anything you ask her, she does. She's a very cool horse to ride."

Change of Control is 2-for-2 at NYRA tracks after winning the Intercontinental Stakes (G3T) in June at Belmont Park.

"Colby rode her perfect. He never panicked," Lovell said. "He stayed right there on the inside and she just looked awesome. She did well in New York when we sent her up to Belmont in the summer, so I just thought this race was a really good spot. The owner gave us a lot of time finding the best races for her. She's really thriving and coming into her own."

Lovell said Change of Control will now winter in Louisiana in preparing for her 6-year-old season before embarking on the next phase of her career.

"She'll go to Fair Grounds for the winter. We'll try to map out her races really well over the winter, spring, and summertime and then she'll go to the breeding shed," Lovell said. "I'm not really sure what our plan is from here, but she'll come back to Churchill and come to Fair Grounds with the rest of my barn."

Too Sexy topped the slow-starting Love And Thunder  by one length for second. Miss Majorette , Piedi Bianchi , Athwaaq, Raven's Cry , and Secure Connection  completed the order of finish.

Change of Control, a daughter of Fed Biz  , was bred in Kentucky by John O'Meara. She is out of the multiple stakes-placed Quiet American mare America's Blossom, whose last two reported foals are a yearling Karakontie   colt and a weanling Karakontie filly. 

Her first time through the auction ring, Change of Control brought $27,000 from Maharg Management when offered by Vinery Sales at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She was later a $95,000 purchase by de Meric Stables from Kaizen Sales at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearling Sale.

Video: Autumn Days S. (BT)