Aqueduct: Wednesday, April 8

[Teach]

Good Morning from frosty Eastern Massachusetts where the temperature is barely above freezing. I'll be posting my Aqueduct picks in about three or four hours; I've just begun to finalize my selections. Pick-6 carryover at Aqueduct, today, will easily top 100k. Makeable. I think so. Cursory look. No specific names and numbers, yet:

Race Four look like the most contentious; preliminarily, I can make a case for three or four horses.

Race Five appears to be your singleton.

Race Six features two or three possible picks.

Race Seven appears to be a two-horse affair

Race Eight ditto.

Race Nine has me leaning toward a longshot. The coup de grace. The clincher. Oh, I'll likely "buy insurance" with one other selection.

[Spiderman]

Good Morning from frosty Eastern Massachusetts where the temperature is barely above freezing. I'll be posting my Aqueduct picks in about three or four hours; I've just begun to finalize my selections. Pick-6 carryover at Aqueduct, today, will easily top 100k. Makeable. I think so. Cursory look. No specific names and numbers, yet:

Race Four look like the most contentious; preliminarily, I can make a case for three or four horses.

Race Five appears to be your singleton.

Race Six features two or three possible picks.

Race Seven appears to be a two-horse affair

Race Eight ditto.

Race Nine has me leaning toward a longshot. The coup de grace. The clincher. Oh, I'll likely "buy insurance" with one other selection.

Small and contentious fields, huge P6 carryover - should go to 1/4 million. Everyone's single in race 5 can implode sequence, but I can't justify using another selection in that race. My selections in all other races are uninspiring, with two other tenuous ml favorites and win by single in race 5 will reduce P6 pool to a less than worthwhile venture.

Hoping for scratch of race 5 favorite and muddy track. Good luck.

[Teach]

I'm predicating my picks on track being muddy. I have no way of knowing for sure. More rain in NYC area is in the forecast. I would prefer it. Yes, that singleton, Aleander, looks to good to consider others. Yet drop is "suspicious". I agree. His presence makes this a Pick-5. Then again... Well, you can't beat them all.

[Teach]

Weather radar has line of showers near Harrisburg, PA and moving east. Should arrive at or just before first-race post.

[Teach]

Race One:

:2: Bajan Beach had a troubled trip in her last. As soon as she left the gate, the filly drifted to her right. She proceeded to plow into the number-four horse, who, in turn, created a domino-effect chain reaction that impacted the mid-pack horses. Well, as the field headed down the backstretch, this 3-year-old took up a position fourth in the two to three path. As the horses turned into the stretch, this filly was angled sharply to the outside; she was then both slightly “herded” and bumped as she made her stretch run. Yet the filly found her best stride with about a furlong to go. She was gaining on the eventual winner, but she simply ran out of real estate. A smoother, trouble-free trip… This Gone West-bred now stretches out a couple panels. That should help. She’s proven she can handle the slop, e.g., Speightstown, Gone West. Jockey Manny Franco reprises his ride for trainer Tom Morley. Morley’s good with horses making their first route start.


Others: :3: Momma Giovanna; :4: Weekend Score; :5: Personal Gold;

Race Two:

:6: Prom Dress showed little in her last, an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. Yet, this Stephen Got Even-bred filly now catches a field she should handle. Trainer Todd Pletcher has dropped this A.P. Indy-bred to the lowest level in her racing career. Pletcher is very good with sprint-to-route. This distaffer should find wet track conditions to her liking, e.g., A.P. Indy, Stephen Got Even. She’s also shown she can handle the mile route; her only win came at that distance. A “recent-decent” morning work signals readiness. This 3-year-old roan has hit the tote in four out of her five lifetime starts. Luis Saez is in the irons.


Others: :1: Mrs. Sunday; :2: Doinwhatshelikes; :5: So Let It Be So.

Race Three:

:5: Indian Fighter is a lightly-raced Indian Charlie-bred gelding who drops out of the maiden-special ranks into a 50k claimer. This 4-year-old grandson of Holy Bull won his second career start in this company. He then finished off the board nearly three weeks ago in a race in which he got caught up in a speed duel. This gelding’s pedigree indicates that he should relish the off-going (In Excess by Caro). Trainer Rudy Rodriguez is good with maiden claimers. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is in the irons.


Others: :3: Call Daddy; :4: Mizner Park; :1: Norman’s Hero;

Race Four:

:4: Star Gazing had his three-race win skein snapped last time out. He stands a good chance of resuming his winning ways against this field. This 4-year-old chestnut filly has a solid wet-track pedigree, e.g., Pulpit. The filly is one-for-one on a wet track. Although she has not raced in several months, her recent morning work – five panels in 1:01.1, breezing – speaks volumes. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens – he’s good with allowance races – is having a solid meet. Angel Arroyo rides.


Others: :5: Hot Rendezvous; :1: Miss Da Point; :6: Royal Suspicion

Race Five:

:7: Aleander was a high-priced Keeneland Sales yearling who has yet to realize his potential. However, this 5-year-old Mr. Prospector-bred horse (oddsmaker Eric Donovan him has installed him as the prohibitive 2/5 ML fave) has been knocking on the door over this past year in search of a maiden-breaking win. In fact, he’s hit the tote in seven of 12 lifetime starts. He’s certainly faced better. He now drops sharply (“suspicious”) into the lower-level “selling” ranks for owner-trainer David Jacobson. By the way, trainer Jacobson is very good with horses going from maiden specials to maiden claiming. In this horse’s only wet-track appearance, he closed well to finish third after being brushed at the start. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez reprises the ride.


Others: :6: Officer Mahaffy; :1: Rambam; :5: Moonsilver

Race Six:

:7: Rap d’Oro has won two in a row - the most recent through disqualification – a race in which he was “herded” in the stretch. He now faces no better than he “defeated” last time. This Medaglia d’Oro-bred gelding has performed well at Aqueduct. He also has a penchant for doing well on a wet surface; the gelding has hit the tote in six out of eight wet-track tries. This 5-year-old, indeed, has a solid wet-track lineage. He’s also conditioned by the very capable Gary Gullo. Trainer Gullo does well with claim repeaters and winners of their last race. A note of caution: this gelding has been away from the races for about six weeks; his most recent morning work was mediocre. Yet, at his best, this Dixeland Band-bred can prevail. Jeremy Rose retains the ride.


Others: :9: Don Tito; :3: Colleen’s Sailor; :6: War Hero

Race Seven

:3: Laghubaar was a highly-priced Fasig-Tipton yearling who has yet to realize his potential. The pedigree is certainly there. David Jacobson, who co-owns and trains this Pulpit-bred gelding, has dropped him in for a tag. Jacobson is very good with both claiming races and sprints. At this level, this gelding should be in a very good position to garner his second win. The gelding has had a win and a third in three tries on a wet surface (Tapit). The very capable Cornelio Velasquez retains the call.

Others: :7: Kowboy Boots; :5: Super Nicky; :1: My Name is Michael.

Race Eight:

:3: Doc Almon comes out of The Caixa Eletronica non-graded stakes, a race in which this Any Given Saturday-bred finished off the board. The gelding had a troubled trip in that one as he was squeezed just after the start. He then settled back sixth before finding a seam in deep stretch to gain fourth. A cleaner trip would go a long way to putting this gelding in the thick of things. If the track comes up wet, all the better. There is definite wet-track breeding, e.g., Distorted Humor (Mr. Prospector) and Notebook (Bold Ruler). The improving apprentice, Eric Cancel, rides for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Trainer Rodriguez is good with dirt starts.


Others: :4: Stallwalkin’ Dude; :7: Sky Commander; :5: Bet The Power

Race Nine:

:9: Larrytheeducator may be dropping down the claiming ladder, but he’s moving up on a wet track. Yes, I know, 20-1 ML. Yet, before you utter: “abuelo loco,” consider this: This 4-year-old gelding’s only one win came in a route in 25k claiming company here at Aqueduct in early December, 2014…on a good track. The gelding’s breeding suggests he’s well suited for wet-track conditions. He has both a Read the Footnotes and Smoke Glacken pedigree. Jockey Taylor Rice does have a knack of winning these kinds of races. Mitch Friedman trains.


Others: :8: Charitable; :6: Spinning for Home; :7: Hidden Warrior