Greeley and Ben Makes the Grade in Fall Highweight
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Greeley and Ben (inside) prevails in a blanket finish in the Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack
The 8-year-old Greeley and Ben , expertly piloted by Manny Franco for owner Darryl Abramowitz, made the grade Nov. 26 in his 39th career start, staving off the late charge of Runninsonofagun to post a brave neck victory in the $175,000 Fall Highweight (G3), a six-furlong handicap for 3-year-olds and upward at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Greeley and Ben was making his first start for trainer Faith Wilson, who notched her initial win in May 2021 at Monmouth Park. Saturday's victory provided the conditioner with her first graded score.
"I wish my kids (Chelsea and Christian) were here for this, but it's a far drive from New Jersey every day that me and my husband (Carlos Cortez) take," Wilson said.
Greeley and Ben, carrying 130 pounds under the hefty weight assignments that are a part of the history of the Fall Highweight, turned the tables on Runninsonofagun after finishing fourth to his familiar foe in the Bold Ruler Stakes (G3) in October. The Greeley's Conquest gelding exited that effort to capture a six-furlong starter allowance tilt Nov. 10.
"We loved him since he came to the barn, and he's just been getting better and better," Wilson said. "The starter allowance was supposed to be a confidence booster for him last time. Since then, he's been wild in his training, so he was proud of himself since that last win going into here. We were pretty impressed with how he was doing."
Bezos set the tempo in the Fall Highweight, surging to the lead through splits of :22.90 and :46.67 over the fast main track with Jaxon Traveler tracking along the rail in second. Greely and Ben advanced from third position through the turn, cutting the corner into the stretch run to duel for the lead with Jaxon Traveler as Factor It In , a close third in the Bold Ruler, and Runninsonofagun took aim.
All four rivals were in with a shout in the final 70 yards, but a game and determined Greeley and Ben stuck his neck out to prevail in a final time of 1:11.95. Runninsonofagun completed the exacta by a head over Factor It In with Jaxon Traveler another head back in fourth.
Franco, who won the Notebook Stakes Nov. 25 with Acoustic Ave , said he wanted a prominent trip.
"My main thing was I wanted to get him to break well and stay close," Franco said. "I just hugged the rail the whole way around. In the stretch, the horse on the lead opened up the rail, and my horse just went through and did the rest. He fought hard."
Greeley and Ben ($16.80) banked $96,250 in victory while improving his record to 23-7-2. He has lifetime earnings of $882,698.
Bred in Kentucky by Millard R. Seldin Revocable Trust, Greeley and Ben is one of six starters from as many foals out of the Langfuhr mare Traci's Wild . Five of those foals are winners, with Greeley and Ben being her top earner.
This summer at Saratoga Race Course, Abramowitz claimed Greeley and Ben for $40,000.
Video: Fall Highweight H. (G3)
Bat Flip Scores in Central Park
Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing's Bat Flip brought a newfound turf affinity into his stakes debut and passed the test with flying colors, besting a field of nine juveniles in Saturday's fifth running of the $120,000 Central Park Stakes going a mile over the Aqueduct outer turf.
Dandy Handyman ran second, 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner, and favored General Jim was third.
Bat Flip wins the Central Park Stakes
Bat Flip did not show much in his first two career starts this summer over the Saratoga main track. But a surface switch has made all the difference for the bay son of freshman stallion Good Magic , who completed the exacta behind graded stakes winner Nagirroc in his six-furlong turf debut on Sept. 24 here before a last out graduation on Oct. 23, going 1 1/16 miles over Aqueduct turf for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
Bat Flip raced a mile on firm turf in 1:34.30 under Jose Ortiz, winning by 1 1/2 lengths. He paid $11.20 for $2 win bet.
Bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Bat Flip is out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Krazy Kathy —a full-sister to graded stakes winner and Pletcher alumnus Intense Holiday and a half-sister to turf graded stakes-winning millionaire Money Multiplier . The dam also has a yearling full brother and a weanling full sister to Bat Flip
Bat Flip was bought for $350,000 in 2021 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in upstate New York, where he was consigned by Indian Creek.