Charge d'Affaires repeats 1999 win in Knickerbocker Handicap as Aqueduct opens

In the 12 months since he won the 1999 Knickerbocker Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct, Charge d'Affaires (GB) had made but one start, finishing fifth in the Canadian Turf Handicap (G3) in January at Gulfstream Park.

Knickerbocker H. (G2)
Aqueduct, October 28, $150,000, 11/8 miles, turf, firm, 1:49.01
1-CHARGE D'AFFAIRES (GB), h. 5, =Kendor (Fr)-Lettre de Cachet, by Secreto.
2-Devine Wind, g. 4, American Chance-Hail Babe, by Within Hail.
3-Understood, c. 4, Pistolet Bleu (Ire)-Divi (GB), by =Bustino (GB).

"After that race he was body sore, and we gave him some time off," said Christophe Clement, whose patience as a trainer has been well-rewarded in the past.

Neither moving well nor training well through March, Charge d'Affaires was sent to Kentucky for a bone scan, which turned up nothing.

Time, as it turned out, was Clement's best ally. Over the past two months, the refreshed horse began training exceptionally well, so well that Clement planned on bringing the five-year-old son of Kendor (Fr) out of Lettre de Cachet, by Secreto, back in the Kelso Handicap (G2) on October 8. The timing, said the trainer, was not quite right, however.

"He was not quite ready-he took about two or three weeks longer than I expected," said Clement. "I thought he might have been a work or two short."

But, once again, the nine-furlong, $150,000 Knickerbocker Handicap at Aqueduct on October 28 fit into Charge d'Affaires's timetable perfectly. Rated off the rail as Johnny Dollar set early fractions of :23.42, :47.53, and 1:11.73, Charge d'Affaires angled toward the inside approaching the far turn, then made a strong move to split horses with 200 yards to go, and came home a three-quarter-length winner over Devine Wind.

"I moved him down toward the inside going on the backstretch and it turned out to be the best thing," said winning jockey Jose Santos of Charge d'Affaires, who toted 115 pounds over the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.01 on a course rated firm. "By the three-sixteenths pole, I thought Devine Wind might just draw off, but my horse kept running. He kept the same pace and went right by him."

Understood was third, another half-length back, and following him under the wire were Johnny Dollar, betting favorite and 120-pound highweight Val's Prince, Valid N Bold, and Yankee Dollar.

"I've got no excuses; he's just lost his speed," said jockey Jorge Chavez of Val's Prince, who had been the object of a protracted ownership battle.

"He may not be what he is supposed to be, but Jorge should have let him run out of the gate," said trainer Jimmy Picou of the eight-year-old gelding, who was held out of the 1999 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). "Nobody wants to go with the leader. You just have to hope with him because he's an older horse."

Charges d'Affaires extended his lifetime record to 5-5-1 from 17 lifetime starts and earned $90,000 for his owner-breeder, Marquise de Moratalla.

"Christophe has done a great training job with this horse," said Santos. "He relaxed well. He's older and more settled now. He's been working wonderfully in the mornings. If I had to pick a horse who hadn't run in a while and was working well in the mornings to come back and win a race, it would be this horse."

Although it is rewarding to win a race off such a layoff, Clement said there is a downside.

"He's a fresh horse, and he's doing well, but it is frustrating because I may not have a place to run him," said the trainer. "I hope to get invited to Hong Kong for the mile race (the Hong Kong International Cup [HK-G1] in December)."

Atelier arrives

If Charge d'Affaires's performance was something of a comeback, then Atelier's victory in the $113,200 Turnback the Alarm Handicap (G3) on October 28 was something of a coming-out party.

Turnback the Alarm H. (G3)
Aqueduct, October 28, $113,200, 11/8 miles, fast, 1:48.95
1-ATELIER, f. 3, Deputy Minister-Aishah, by Alydar.
2-Tap to Music, m. 5, Pleasant Tap-Nuryette, by Nureyev.
3-Pentatonic, m. 5, Cure the Blues-Aljadam, by Anticipating.

After her outstanding performance in a one-mile allowance on October 4, the three-year-old daughter of Deputy Minister ran off to a seven-length victory over multiple stakes winner and 119-pound highweight Tap to Music for her fifth win in nine starts and first stakes victory.

"We go through a lot of practice stages with horses," said winning trainer Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey III. "It has taken awhile for her to learn, but what has happened has worked. All of her races have been decent races, but her last two were huge. The works made the difference; she worked too fast for the Gazelle (Handicap [G1] on September 9 where she finished fourth). She went in :51 before her last race, and I knew I would have to do a little bit more with her for this race."

Favored at 2.45-to-1 and carrying 113 pounds, Atelier completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.95 over the main track.

"She broke cleanly and had no problems settling off the pace," said winning jockey Edgar Prado. "She was pretty content, and I decided to lay in the back of the pack and let her make one run. I know she's got talent, but the move she put in was awesome. She just galloped through the entire stretch."

Pentatonic finished third, 1 3/4 lengths farther back, besting Belle Cherie by a head. It was a neck back to Mumbo Jumbo, who was followed by Under the Rug, Batique, Resort, Up We Go, and Gran Mujer (Chi).

Left is right in Discovery

Aqueduct opened on October 25 with 3-to-10 favorite Left Bank rolling to a wire-to-wire victory under high weight of 119 pounds over Perfect Cat to take the $103,499 Discovery Handicap (G3).

Discovery H. (G3)
Aqueduct, October 25, $103,499, 11/8 miles, fast, 1:47.30
1-LEFT BANK, c. 3, French Deputy-Marshesseaux, by Dr. Blum.
2-Perfect Cat, c. 3, Tabasco Cat-Perfect Probe, by Mr. Prospector.
3-Open Sesame, c. 3, Phone Trick-Dancing Mahmoud, by Topsider.

Ridden by John Velazquez, the three-year-old son of French Deputy out of Marshesseaux, by Dr. Blum, popped into the lead and set fractions of :23.67, :46.84, and 1:10.08 before cruising home 2 1/4 lengths in front in 1:47.30.

Open Sesame was third, a head back, with Quiet Mike finishing fourth and last, another four lengths back.

"He was a little nervous and hot in the paddock, but he settled down nicely when he got on the track," said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. "We were a little concerned with shipping him over (from Belmont to Aqueduct) and going the two turns. This was a different experience for him. If all goes well, we would like to point him for the Cigar Mile (Handicap [G1], on November 25)."

"Physically, he has grown since he was a two-year-old but mentally he is still immature," said Velazquez of Left Bank. "He likes to look around when horses are next to him, and if we can stop that, he has the potential to be a star."

Dancing in the Athenia

When it came to picking a spot for the four-year-old filly Wild Heart Dancing, trainer Eugene Brajczewski Jr. had a choice: Go to California or head to Aqueduct. The decision was simplified by her last-place performance in the WinStar Galaxy Stakes (G3) at Keeneland on October 13.

Athenia H. (G3)
Aqueduct, October 29, $112,500, 11/16 miles, turf, firm, 1:43.40
1-WILD HEART DANCING, f. 4, Farma Way-Star of Wicklow, by Fast Play.
2-Fickle Friends, f. 4, Demons Begone-Prom Knight, by Sir Harry Lewis.
3-Silken (GB), f. 4, Danehill-Our Reverie, by J. O. Tobin.

"That last race at Keeneland, the course wasn't in good shape-it had a bunch of holes in it, and she never handled it whatsoever," said Brajczewski. "We came here because the grass course is fresh. This grass course is beautiful."

Beautiful, that is, in between the unseasonable snow showers and brief bouts of sleet, weather more suited to the middle of January than opening weekend at Aqueduct. But neither snow nor sleet nor the change to standard time impeded Wild Heart Dancing, who led nearly every step to win the $102,500 Athenia Handicap (G3) on October 29 by a half-length over Fickle Friends.

Under Jorge Chavez, the daughter of Farma Way out of Star of Wicklow, by Fast Play, zipped to the front and ticked off fractions of :23.41, :48.48, and 1:13.30 while being shadowed by Idle Rich. Turning for home, Wild Heart Dancing came under a strong challenge from Fickle Friends on the inside and from 1.55-to-1 favorite Silken (GB) on the outside, but she dug in gamely. She hit the wire in 1:43.40 for the 1 1/16 miles on a course rated firm for her second victory in six starts this year.

"She had no problem taking the lead and relaxed great down the backstretch," said Chavez. "She was very determined when both those horses came at her in the stretch."

Silken, who finished a half-length behind Fickle Friends, was followed under the wire by Idle Rich, Neptune's Bride, Spook Express (SAf), and Nordican Inch (GB). La Ville Rouge reared at the start and unseated jockey Mike Luzzi, who was not injured.

Owned by My Jo Lee Stable, Wild Heart Dancing, the 5.90-to-1 third choice, earned $67,500 and a trip to sunny Southern California.

"We're probably going to take her out to California for the Matriarch (Stakes [G1] at Hollywood Park) on November 26 and try to get a Grade 1 win or place," said Brajczewski.