Weathered has the winning move in Next Move

Chevalier Stable's WEATHERED (Key Contender) pressed the early pace in

Saturday's $105,800

Next

Move H. (G3) at Aqueduct, took over in the stretch and held off a late run

from Winning Point (Point Given) to post a 1 1/2-length victory under jockey

Mike Luzzi.

The Karl Grusmark-trained four-year-old allowed Successful Sarah (Successful

Appeal) to take the lead, but was never far back from that rival through splits

of :23 2/5 and :48 1/5. Weathered drifted past the tiring pacesetter

rounding the turn, taking over through six furlongs in 1:13 and a mile in 1:38 4/5, but found Winning

Point launching a challenge on the outside. The eventual winner held her

advantage all the way to the wire, never allowing Winning Point to draw even,

and finished up 1 1/8 miles on the fast inner dirt in 1:52 2/5.

"I was very hopeful (coming into the race)," Grusmark said. "She's been doing

extremely well and we thought she'd run awfully well today and she didn't

disappoint. (She held off) the late run of the (Kiaran) McLaughlin horse

(Winning Point), and that's who I was worried about.

"Weathered has done extremely well this winter -- she loves Aqueduct! We hope

she loves Saratoga just as much."

Sent off the 4-5 favorite, Weathered paid $3.70, $2.20 and $2.10 while keying

the $6.40 exacta and $13.20 trifecta (5-4-1). Winning Point was worth $2.70 and

$2.10 as the 7-5 second choice, and it was another 4 3/4 lengths back to

the 6-1 Successful Sarah, who returned $2.40. Point Me to It (Precise End) followed by

11 lengths in fourth and Bourbon Maid (Menifee) completed the order of finish.

Nijinsky Bullet (Silver Charm) was withdrawn.

Bred by Edward L. Shapoff in New York, Weathered entered this race off a 7

1/4-length score in the Rare Treat H. over the same track and distance and was third in

the Plankton S. to open her four-year-old campaign. She also scored in three

stakes and ran second in two others last season. The Next Move is Weathered's

first graded win, and she improved her line to 15-9-2-2 to go along with

$404,160 in lifetime earnings.

Out of the stakes-placed Thunder Stand (Thunder Puddles), Weathered has an

unraced juvenile half-sister named Thundered and an unnamed yearling

half-sister, both by Catienus. She comes from the same family as Grade 2 winner

Fairly Ransom (Red Ransom), who ran second in the 2003 Hollywood Derby (G1), as

well as 2003 Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) victor Fair Mix (Linamix).