Share the Ride Holds Sway in Fall Highweight

OZONE PARK, NY – Silvino Ramirez’s Share the Ride took over at the top of the stretch and held sway under a drive in Sunday’s $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct.

Breaking from post 5 under Jose Ortiz as the 8/5 favorite, Share the Ride tracked closely behind Tribecca, who led off the rail down the backstretch and into the far turn.

Advancing up while cornering and challenging the pacesetter at the top of the stretch, Share the Ride advanced to take command and had enough left to hold off late pushes from Stan The Man and Absentee.

The Antonio Arriaga trainee crossed 3/4 of a length clear while completing the 6-furlong fast dirt sprint in 1:10.62.

“Everybody had a little extra weight today, but my horse was very game,” Ortiz said. “It was a great training job. This horse was 100% ready. He broke well and sat second and relaxed. I asked him to go passing the 3/8 pole to engage Tribecca. I wanted to be close to him at the 1/4 pole because he’s hard to beat on the lead and he digs in. I was in good range to win the race and they battled down the lane; two good horses in a match race and then the other horses were coming too, at the end, but he dug in.”

A head and a nose separated Stan the Man (second) from Absentee (third) and Tribecca for the next three positions.

Drafted, Arch Cat, and Majestic Dunhill completed the order of finish.

Share the Ride’s win was his first at the graded level and second straight following a Parx allowance on November 18, improving his overall record to 20-8-3-4. The 5-year-old Candy Ride gelding, claimed for $16,000 this past July, has now earned $369,860 lifetime.

Share the Ride returned $5.20 to win, $3.40 to place, and $2.70 to show. Stan the Man brought back $3.80 to place and $2.70 to show, while Absentee paid $3.90 to show.