Teach
12-22-2013, 11:21 AM
There's a line of showers and rain just west of the metropolitan New York City area. I'm handicapping with wet-track conditions in mind.
Race One:
:4: Midnight Music gets my lukewarm nod in this optional claimer. I'm "stepping up to plate" here. I'm swinging from the heels. I like the fact that this 3 year-old colt has Forest Whispers breeding, by Forestry. That indicates a penchant for perambulating on porous surfaces (showers expected). Jockey Angel Arroyo fortrainer Linda Perillo. Linda's very good with sprints; her trainees win nearly 25% of sprint races entered. Also: :7: The Truth and KG; :2: Chapman; and :6: Tax Player.
Race Two:
:5: Tricky Slam is dropping down the claiming ladder faster than "Love in an Elevator". Decent wet-track breeding: Langfuhr (Danzig); yet that also signals turf potential. 29% trainer, Rudy Rodriguez, and a solid rider, Irad Ortiz, Jr. The gelding dons blinkers. Yet, only one win in 16 tries; that raises a caution flag. Others worthy of consideration:
:1: El Oh El (Lots of Laughs); :8: Can't Catch Me Now; :3: Stoneless.
Race Three:
:2: Maximus Decimus (Maximus the Tenth; I knew those six years of Latin would some day come in handy) is my pick in this optional claiming route. As they sang in Pal Joey: "I'm Wild Again, Beguiled Again, A Whimpering, Simpering Child Again. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered Am I." The operative words, or should I say ancestry, are Wild Again. I like Wild Again-bred horses (colts) on wet tracks. Admitted longshot try. This Michelle Nevin-trained colt won his last. Yes, he is stepping up. Yes, he'll likely go off at a price. Yet, I think he has a shot. One-third of Michelle Nevin's trainees win their route races. Junior Alvarado is in the irons. Also: :4: Master Lightning; and :5: Louisiana Flyboy.
Race Four:
2 Fade To Black is my pick in this maiden-special route. Narrowly second in her last; the filly stretches out an additional panel-and-change. Junior Alvarado is in the irons for Dominick Schettino (he needs to get off "the schneid"). Also: :1:/ :1a: Ballylee and Palestrina; :6: Lift; :3: Saratoga Lake.
Race Five:
:7: Natalie Victory is my pick in this claiming route. Second start off a layoff. Was favored in ungraded stake two starts back - finished fourth. Decent wet-track pedigree, e.g., Valid Appeal. Should prevail. David Cohen for David Jacobson. Also: :2: My Unbridled Storm; :6: Seven Dreams; :5: We'll Talk
Race Six:
:10: Royal Roxie is a high-priced (Keeneland sales) 3 year-old Medaglia d'Oro-bred filly who's looking to win at first asking. Should take to wet-track surface. Dam, Royal Parade, had two winners from two starters. Angel Arroyo for Nick Zito. Also: :8: Skinny Margarita; :5: The Magic Stone; :7: Erin's Desert
Race Seven:
:1a: Start Jumping can prevail in this 6-furlong optional claimer. Solid wet-track breeding. Also: :7: Erik The Red; :9: Main Season; :8: Mewannarose;
Race Eight:
:4: Flipcup gets my nod in this ungraded state-bred EastView Stakes to be run over a distance of a mile and 70 yards. The Canadian shipper has had two firsts and a third in three lifetime efforts. Second time lasix. Rajiv Maragh for trainer George Weaver. Also: :2: Miss Narcissist; :5: Champagne Ruby; :6: Skye Saratoga.
Race Nine:
:9: Selena's Charm is my pick in the finale. I like the wet-track breeding. In her last, the filly dueled three wide in this same company; she finished off the board. A cleaner, less stressful trip would put this filly in the thick of things. Also: :6: Cake N Cookies; :7: Gold Potion; :1: My Lucky Lieu.
Race One:
:4: Midnight Music gets my lukewarm nod in this optional claimer. I'm "stepping up to plate" here. I'm swinging from the heels. I like the fact that this 3 year-old colt has Forest Whispers breeding, by Forestry. That indicates a penchant for perambulating on porous surfaces (showers expected). Jockey Angel Arroyo fortrainer Linda Perillo. Linda's very good with sprints; her trainees win nearly 25% of sprint races entered. Also: :7: The Truth and KG; :2: Chapman; and :6: Tax Player.
Race Two:
:5: Tricky Slam is dropping down the claiming ladder faster than "Love in an Elevator". Decent wet-track breeding: Langfuhr (Danzig); yet that also signals turf potential. 29% trainer, Rudy Rodriguez, and a solid rider, Irad Ortiz, Jr. The gelding dons blinkers. Yet, only one win in 16 tries; that raises a caution flag. Others worthy of consideration:
:1: El Oh El (Lots of Laughs); :8: Can't Catch Me Now; :3: Stoneless.
Race Three:
:2: Maximus Decimus (Maximus the Tenth; I knew those six years of Latin would some day come in handy) is my pick in this optional claiming route. As they sang in Pal Joey: "I'm Wild Again, Beguiled Again, A Whimpering, Simpering Child Again. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered Am I." The operative words, or should I say ancestry, are Wild Again. I like Wild Again-bred horses (colts) on wet tracks. Admitted longshot try. This Michelle Nevin-trained colt won his last. Yes, he is stepping up. Yes, he'll likely go off at a price. Yet, I think he has a shot. One-third of Michelle Nevin's trainees win their route races. Junior Alvarado is in the irons. Also: :4: Master Lightning; and :5: Louisiana Flyboy.
Race Four:
2 Fade To Black is my pick in this maiden-special route. Narrowly second in her last; the filly stretches out an additional panel-and-change. Junior Alvarado is in the irons for Dominick Schettino (he needs to get off "the schneid"). Also: :1:/ :1a: Ballylee and Palestrina; :6: Lift; :3: Saratoga Lake.
Race Five:
:7: Natalie Victory is my pick in this claiming route. Second start off a layoff. Was favored in ungraded stake two starts back - finished fourth. Decent wet-track pedigree, e.g., Valid Appeal. Should prevail. David Cohen for David Jacobson. Also: :2: My Unbridled Storm; :6: Seven Dreams; :5: We'll Talk
Race Six:
:10: Royal Roxie is a high-priced (Keeneland sales) 3 year-old Medaglia d'Oro-bred filly who's looking to win at first asking. Should take to wet-track surface. Dam, Royal Parade, had two winners from two starters. Angel Arroyo for Nick Zito. Also: :8: Skinny Margarita; :5: The Magic Stone; :7: Erin's Desert
Race Seven:
:1a: Start Jumping can prevail in this 6-furlong optional claimer. Solid wet-track breeding. Also: :7: Erik The Red; :9: Main Season; :8: Mewannarose;
Race Eight:
:4: Flipcup gets my nod in this ungraded state-bred EastView Stakes to be run over a distance of a mile and 70 yards. The Canadian shipper has had two firsts and a third in three lifetime efforts. Second time lasix. Rajiv Maragh for trainer George Weaver. Also: :2: Miss Narcissist; :5: Champagne Ruby; :6: Skye Saratoga.
Race Nine:
:9: Selena's Charm is my pick in the finale. I like the wet-track breeding. In her last, the filly dueled three wide in this same company; she finished off the board. A cleaner, less stressful trip would put this filly in the thick of things. Also: :6: Cake N Cookies; :7: Gold Potion; :1: My Lucky Lieu.