TurfPublicists: FALL HIGHWEIGHT HANDICAP (G3) ADVANCE; for Thursday, November 25, 2010

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Contact: Jenny Kellner

NINE SPRINTERS TO VIE IN FALL HIGHWEIGHT HANDICAP

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Nine sprinters will be among those packing a few extra pounds on Thanksgiving Day when they go postward for Thursday’s 97^th renewal of the Grade 3, $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Sharing top weight for the six-furlong race is a trio of familiar faces to New York racing fans – Wall Street Wonder, Go Go Shoot, and Endless Circle, all of whom will tote 129 pounds for the traditional Thanksgiving Day feature. Admission gates open at the Big A at 9:30 a.m. that day, with a special first race post time of 11:25 a.m.

Wall Street Wonder, a 4-year-old son of City Place, last visited the winner’s circle in the spring, when he capped a three-race win streak over the Big A’s inner track with a victory in the Grade 3 Toboggan. Given the summer off, he returned to action in September in the Icecapade at Monmouth Park, finishing fourth, and then was eighth after vying for the early lead in the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park on October 2.

“He struggled with the heat this summer and it took him a while to round back into form,” said John Terranova, who trains Wall Street Wonder for Stetson Stables. “He’s been doing well since his last race, and I can’t wait to get him back over to Aqueduct. Last year it was like flipping a switch, and I hope he responds the same way.”

Channing Hill rides Wall Street Wonder, 8-1 on the morning line, from post position 5.

Go Go Shoot, seventh in last year’s Fall Highweight, comes into the race off a front-running optional claimer victory at Belmont Park, his first in four starts this year. Third in the West Virginia Legislature Chairman’s Cup at Mountaineer and third in the Decathalon at Monmouth Park, the 5-year-old gelded son of Songandaprayer’s only poor performance of 2010 came when 11^th in the Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder Race Course in July.

“For whatever reason, few of the shippers did well that day,” said Jonathan Thomas, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, of the Repole Stable color-bearer. “His last race was a nice effort, and a reflection of the horse’s true ability.”

Go Go Shoot, the 7-2 second choice on the morning line, will leave from post position 7 with John Velazquez aboard.

Endless Circle has fashioned a solid record as a 6-year-old, winning seven of his 12 starts including three of his last four appearances at the Big A. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez for Vincent Scuderi, Endless Circle will be making his first graded stakes appearance in the Fall Highweight, having won the John Morrissey and the Easy N Dirty Stakes for New York-breds and finishing sixth as the favorite in the Hudson on New York Showcase Day. Endless Circle’s seven victories is tops on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit, two more than his nearest rival.

Edgar Prado has the mount on Endless Circle, who drew post position 4 as the co-third choice at 4-1.

The morning-line favorite at 3-1 in the Fall Highweight is Mesa Sunrise, who makes his first graded stakes start coming off a pair of optional claiming victories at Parx Racing and Delaware Park. Trained by Tony Dutrow, the 4-year-old Sky Mesa colt was third in his 2010 debut at Saratoga Race Course in August.

Ramon Dominguez rides Sky Mesa, assigned 127 pounds, from post position 3.

Also making his stakes debut in the Fall Highweight is Emma’s Posse, who came off a seven-month layoff to win a six-furlong optional claimer at the Big A on November 7. Trained by Dominic Galluscio, the 4-year-old gelded son of Posse was 2-1-2 from six starts at Aqueduct last spring. At 8-1 on the morning line, he will carry 126 pounds, including Cornelio Velasquez, from post position 8.

Rounding out the field is the Funky Munky Stable entry of Jack On the Rocks, winner of the Maryland Million Sprint Handicap two starts back, and Mitigation, a closing second to Emma’s Posse in his most recent start; Wildcat Frankie, the lone 3-year-old in the field, and Todd Got Even, winner of the Eillo Stakes at Monmouth Park in October.

The field for the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap:

Prog. No. PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	Odds
1 3	Mitigation	A O Solis	125	G P Gullo	10-1
1a 6	Jack On the Rocks	E Castro	126	G P Gullo	10-1
2 1	Wildcat Frankie	J Castellano	126	D Fawkes	4-1
3 2	Mesa Sunrise	R Dominguez	127	A Dutrow	3-1
4 4	Endless Circle	E Prado	129	R Rodriguez	4-1
5 5	Wall Street Wonder	C Hill	129	J Terranova	8-1
6 7	Go Go Shoot	J R Velazquez	129	T A Pletcher	7-2
7 8	Emma's Posse	C H Velasquez	126	D G Galluscio	8-1
8 9	Todd Got Even	J Lezcano	128	S J Volk	15-1

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