Repole Stable's Caixa Eletronica made start number 60 a winning one Nov. 22, carrying 133 pounds across the finish line in the $147,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack in solid style (VIDEO).
The 7-year-old son of Arromanches won by four lengths over four other runners while finishing six furlongs in 1:08.69 on a fast track. It was the fastest running of the six-furlong race since 1991, and just one-fifth of a second off the stakes record of 1:08 2/5 held jointly by Hi Tex, who carried 130 pounds in 1952, and Ariel Lad, who toted 125 pounds in 1944.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Caixa Eletronica has earned $1,116,000 in 12 outings this year alone.
The setup of the Thanksgiving Day stakes for older horses changed with the scratch of 125-pound highweight Poseidon's Warrior , whose connections opted to run in the Nov. 21 Fabulous Strike Handicap at Penn National (he finished third). When 6-5 favorite This Ones for Phil shot straight to the lead under Ramon Dominguez, jockey Javier Castellano put Caixa Eletronica right up in second, tracking along about a length back as the frontrunner went a quarter in :22.57.
"With Poseidon's Warrior running yesterday, there was no possible speed that could have been out there [with This Ones for Phil] except Mine Over Matter," Mike Repole remarked. "The other horses were coming out of distance races. I told Javier, 'The horse is so versatile, he can do so much, keep him in the game. Do not let This Ones for Phil get away. If he walks the dog and goes 23 and 46 and we come in second, I will be furious.' Javier said, 'I'll do what you want.' "
Although This Ones for Phil opened a 1 1/2-length advantage while drilling a brisk :44.84, Caixa Eletronica maintained his determined chase from the two path. Behind those two raced Willy Beamin, Small Town Talk, and Mine Over Matter, who had stumbled badly at the break.
Reaching the furlong pole in :56.49, Caixa Eletronica still had a half-length to make up on This Ones for Phil. When Castellano said "go," he closed readily to draw abreast of the leader, then kicked clear to draw off under a brisk hand ride. This Ones for Phil held second, and Mine Over Matter made no impact 4 1/2 lengths farther back in third.
"At the top of the stretch, once he got close, it was just a matter of time," Repole remarked. "The way he's been running at six furlongs, he's been making that one big run. That was so impressive; for him to be able to be that fast up there with the fractions. He's such a special horse, a lot of fun... and it's nice to win one on Thanksgiving."
The second choice at 2-1, Caixa Eletronica returned $6.40, $3, and $2.20 while This Ones for Phil paid $2.80 and $2.10 and Mine Over matter brought $2.60. Small Town Talk and Willy Beamin completed the order of finish.
Caixa Eletronica was bred in Kentucky by Richard Rowan and is out of the Skip Away mare Edyta. Claimed by Repole for $62,500 in March of 2011, he now boasts a record of 60 starts, 19 wins, 8 seconds, 11 thirds, and earnings of $1,598,205.
The chestnut horse came off a seventh-place finish in the Oct. 27 Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park to get the win, his first since taking the June 9 True North Handicap (gr. II) at the New York oval. His other victories this season came in the Charles Town Classic Stakes (gr. II) in April and the Rise Jim Stakes at Aqueduct Jan. 8.