Victory Thoroughbreds’ CHEROKEE COUNTRY (Yonaguska) swung out for the stretch
drive and closed ferociously down the middle of the track to win Thursday’s
$110,000
Fall Highweight H. (G3) at Aqueduct, registering his first graded victory
with a half-length upset. Off as the 12-1 sixth choice, the Ramon Preciado-trained
horse carried 129 pounds, including jockey Jose Lezcano, in the newly restored
Grade 3 test that honors the old tradition of giving weight to horses.
Hatfield (Proud Citizen) broke running in the six-furlong event and
established contested splits in :21 4/5 and :44 1/5 before shaking loose at the
top of the stretch. Cherokee Country trailed far back during the early stages,
but he was in full flight as Hatfield passed the eighth pole with a 1 1/2-length
advantage in :56 1/5. The five-year-old collared the pacesetter in deep stretch
and easily withstood the late run of Greenspring (Orientate), who surged 1 1/4
lengths clear of Hatfield for second under the wire. Cherokee Country stopped
the teletimer in 1:09 1/5 over the fast track.
The winner paid $26.20, $10.40 and $8.40, and Greenspring was good for $7.50
and $6 as the 6-1 fourth choice. Hatfield held for third at 43-1 and totaled
$13.40. It was a nose back to The Roundhouse (Fusaichi Pegasus), who was favored
at 6-5 with entrymate Go Go Shoot (Songandaprayer). The gimmicks returned $116
(exacta) and $3,377 (9-8-4 trifecta). Ah Day (Malibu Moon) finished fifth and
was followed by Sean Avery (Cherokee Run), Go Go Shoot, Riley Tucker (Harlan’s
Holiday), Formidable (Sky Mesa) and Drift King (Concorde’s Tune).
Bred in Kentucky by Clarkland Farm, Cherokee Country was purchased for
$210,000 as a weanling at the 2004 Keeneland November sale, but he debuted in
maiden claiming ranks and was claimed for $12,500 from his second career start,
a win at Philadelphia Park in November 2006. The bay has now earned $426,610
from a 25-11-4-5 mark, adding the Fall Highweight to a line that includes three
listed stakes wins and five black-type placings. After missing the entire 2008
season with an injury, he returned to the races this year in May and established
a new track record at Philadelphia Park when winning a 6 1/2-furlong allowance
in 1:14.39 four starts back.
Out of the winning Jetazelle (Tri Jet), who is also the dam of stakes winner
Runaway Jet (Runaway Groom), Cherokee Country will be pointed toward the
December 26 Gravesend H. over the inner track.