Wheels Up At Noon Upset Rodney Winner

Upset-minded Wheels Up At Noon used a perfect stalking trip for Javier Castellano to win the $200,900 Caesar Rodney Stakes, leaving the 7-5 choice Silver Tree behind by 2 1/4 lengths at Delaware Park July 13.

Sent off at odds of 11-1, Wheels Up At Noon tracked the pacesetter Shake the Bank for more than seven furlongs, bidding on the outside in the lane to get the lead. The 8-year-old multiple stakes winner Silver Tree, ridden by Edgar Prado, got rolling late but the Florida-bred Outflanker   colt drew off for an impressive victory in the 1 1/8-mile turf test.

Wheels Up At Noon has now won back-to-back stakes on the Delaware lawn this year since being transferred to trainer Doug Fout by owner Eldon Farm. The dark bay has won six of 16 lifetime starts with earnings of $257,020 after collecting the Caesar Rodney winning purse of $120,000.

Silver Tree finished one length in front of the show horse, second choice Ruff and Ready with Garrett Gomez aboard. The final time was 1:49.43 over firm going.

Mr. and Mrs. William A.T. Rainbow, William A.T. Rainbow Jr., et al, bred Wheels Up At Noon, who is out of the Tri Jet mare Noontime Jet.

The winner paid $24.60, $9 and $.460. Silver Tree, coming off a victory in the Fort Marcy Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Aqueduct for trainer Bill Mott, returned $3.40 and $2.40. The Todd Pletcher trainee Ruff and Ready was $3.20 to show.

Shake the Bank finished fourth.

(Chart, Equibase)