La Verdad takes historic run at Fall Highweight

La Verdad has won 10 of her past 15 starts, including the course-and-distance

Distaff Handicap in April and four stakes restricted to New York-bred fillies

and mares. A narrowly beaten second in the Gallant Bloom Handicap two back, she

is undefeated in four starts over Aqueduct's main track.

"It's a tough spot -- there's a lot of speed in the race -- but she's done

very well since the Iroquois and it was a choice between that and the Garland of

Roses (on December 6)," said trainer Linda Rice, who saddled last year's Fall

Highweight winner Palace. "I'd say right now, we're pointing towards the Fall

Highweight for her."

Trainer David Jacobson's entry of Salutos Amigos and Strapping Groom was made

the 2-1 morning line favorite for the Fall Highweight. A dynamite 3 1/4-length

winner of the Bold Ruler Handicap late last month, Salutos Amigos was wheeled

back one week later for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, where he finished seventh

after a slow start and wide trip.

"Salutos Amigos shipped great back from California, and also to California,

both ways," Jacobson said. "I think his performance was spectacular; getting

beat just three lengths in any Breeders' Cup race is awesome."

Runner-up in last year's Fall Highweight, Strapping Groom went on to take the

Tom Fool Handicap and Gravesend Handicap over the inner track, but has not been

seen since a fifth-place finish in the Carter Handicap in April.

"Strapping Groom is doing well," Jacobson said. "We've had some trouble with

his feet, quarter cracks, but we've got him good now and we think he's going to

run a bang-up race. Both he and Salutos Amigos are spectacular horses that we've

done very well with, and I expect both of them to bring their 'A' game."

Strapping Groom was cross-entered to Wednesday night's Fabulous Strike

Handicap at Penn National. Also cross-entered there and to the Fall Highweight

is River Rocks, a sharp second in the Kelso Handicap prior to a fourth-place

effort in the Bold Ruler as the even-money choice.

Others of note in the Fall Highweight are True North runner-up Bakken, eighth

in the Breeders' Cup Sprint after a rough trip, and the turf sprint specialist

Tightend Touchdown, who won over Aqueduct's main track the last time he tried

dirt in a May 2013 optional claimer/starter allowance.

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