Chateau, Forewarned Take Aqueduct Stakes

An impressive sprinter earlier this year at Aqueduct Racetrack, Michael Dubb's Chateau  got back on track in the $97,000 Gravesend Stakes Dec. 18 at the Big A, collecting his first victory in six starts.

Sunday's six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up adds to Chateau's win in the March 6 Tom Fool Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct, which followed an allowance optional claiming score at the New York oval in January. 

Chateau was ridden from the outermost post 5 in the Gravesend by Kendrick Carmouche. He broke sharpest and was hurried to the lead while Majestic Dunhill , who hopped in the air from post 2, lost ground early. Jaxon Traveler  settled to the inside of Chateau as Drafted  tracked in third.

Down the backstretch, Jaxon Traveler was angled to the outside of Chateau, who enjoyed a 1 1/2-length lead. The frontrunners had open lengths on the rest of the field as the opening quarter-mile went in :23.30 and the half in :47.22. Jaxon Traveler inched closer rounding the turn as Carmouche got to work on Chateau, traveling four-wide from the rail and running down the center of the racetrack. 

Chateau was briefly threatened by Jaxon Traveler at the top of the stretch, but began to kick clear at the sixteenth pole, keeping to task with a single right-handed tap of the crop from Carmouche to win by 3 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:11.26 on a fast track. He paid $5.20 on a $2 win ticket as the favorite.

Jaxon Traveler held off a late charge to his outside from Drafted to finish second by three-quarters of a length. Majestic Dunhill and Wendell Fong  completed the order of finish. Morning-line favorite Wondrwherecraigis  was scratched.

Carmouche said Chateau was ready for the showdown with Jaxon Traveler. 

"When the track is favoring his type of go, he loves it," said Carmouche. "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."

Chateau's trainer, Rob Atras, said he was glad to see the 6-year-old Flat Out   gelding back in the winner's circle. 

"I think the scratch (of Wondrwherecraigis) was a factor, but I'm very happy with the way Chateau ran," Atras said. "He showed his speed and finished up really nice today."

Atras said Chateau's Gravesend effort showed improvement from his prior start, a third in the Nov. 28 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct.

"I think he moved forward," said Atras. "It was a bit of a layoff and he had to use himself quite a bit at the start of the race and that probably hindered him coming home. But the race definitely helped him and that showed today."

Carmouche first got a leg up on Chateau when he rode him to a third-place finish in an optional claimer in November 2020. With Carmouche in the irons for six of Chateau's next eight starts, the pair won the two races at Aqueduct early this year together. 

"He just really figured him out quick when he got on him," said Atras. "He rode him great again today. He got to the lead and he just really knows the horse. He knows where to put him in the race and when to let him loose."

Chateau improved his record to 8-10-10 in 39 starts and increased his earnings to $615,019. Dubb claimed him in September 2018 for $40,000 as a maiden. 

Bred in Kentucky by Preston Stables, Chateau is the first foal out of the With Distinction mare Distinct Sparkle. His dam's latest foal is a yearling Hoppertunity   colt, and she was bred to Weigelia   for 2022.

Video: Gravesend S. (BT)

Forewarned Springs Upset

Forewarned , owned and trained by Uriah St. Lewis, provided a 42-1 upset in Sunday's $125,000 Queens County, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct. 

Patiently handled by Dexter Haddock, the 6-year-old son of Flat Out settled in seventh as Empty Tomb  and Backsideofthemoon  battled for the lead through an opening quarter in :23.46. Empty Tomb asserted command down the backstretch with Backsideofthemoon tracking in second to the inside of Bal Harbour  as the half ticked by in :48.37.

Forewarned advanced with purpose approaching the final turn and was traveling well to the outside of Olliemyboy  with little separation between the frontrunning trio of Backsideofthemoon, Empty Tomb, and Bal Harbour.

Haddock asked Forewarned for more out of the turn and the longshot responded by overtaking a tiring Bal Harbour before surging past the stubborn Empty Tomb and Backsideofthemoon to secure a 1 1/4-length win in a final time of 1:51.90.

Empty Tomb completed the exacta by a head over Backsideofthemoon with Olliemyboy, who stumbled at the start, rounding out the superfecta. Bal Harbour, Mystic Night , Bourbonic , You're to Blame , and Shooger Ray Too  rounded out the order of finish.

The durable Forewarned, who paid $86 to win, sports a record of 10-7-4 from 45 starts and has earnings of $762,383. He was purchased for $40,000 by St. Lewis' Trin-Brook Stable from consignor Bill Reightler, agent for Preston Stables, at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December Mixed Sale.

"He was working well into this race. The thing with him is he wants longer distances," St. Lewis said. "The longer the better and that's what we were trying to do."

The victory marked the second career stakes victory for Haddock, who said Forewarned benefited from the pace battle.

"I saw a couple of horses fighting up front around the first turn," Haddock said. "I knew I had a lot of horse when I made my move and he came with a big run at the end. He was training so well in the morning, and he felt good today."

Another Flat Out son bred by Preston Stables, Forewarned, foaled in Ohio, is the first foal out of the multiple stakes-winning Five Star Day mare Fortune Play. The mare's most recent foal is a yearling Practical Joke   filly and she was bred to Liam's Map   for 2022.

Video: Queens County S. (BT)