Aqueduct: Thursday, January 14

[Teach]

Race One:

I’m looking for so someone who can beat :1: Carysfoot Reef in the opener, but I can’t. I’m not goin’ to be some “wise guy” and come up with an off-the-wall, out-in-left-field choice. I’m not going to look a gift horse in the face. My only concern is that you have to be extremely well-heeled to flat-bet this horse. My only caveat is that this Giant’s Causeway-bred chestnut colt has been a huge “money-burner”; he’s failed as the favorite in his last three. Irad Ortiz, Jr. for trainer Steve Asmussen. Others: :6: , :5: , :3:

Race Two:

:1: Take a Bow is stretching out two panels off her a last, a fourth-place finish against slightly weaker. In that one, this chestnut filly was making a belated move but simply ran out of real estate. A couple extra furlongs could do wonders. The most capable Gabe Saez is in the irons for trainer John P. Terranova II. Others: :5: , :6: , :3:

Race Three:

:4: Willett should be in good stalking position to sweep around the front runners and gain the victory in the 6-furlong allowance sprint for state-breds. This 8 year-old mare won her last in this same general company. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is in the irons for trainer Jim Iselin. Iselin does reasonably well with horses entered in allowance races. Others: :3: , :1: , :5:

Race Four:

:4: Jai Alai gets my nod in this short-field claiming route, n3L. You won’t need a pelota or a cesta to figure out that this Tiznow-bred gelding has the back-class to prevail in this short-field race. This lightly-raced Awesome Again-bred 4 year-old is back down with the kind of company he should handle. Admittedly, the gelding’s trainer, Randi Persaud, is not having a particularly stellar meet, yet this recently claimed gelding may well provide the vehicle to propel trainer Persaud and jockey Ruben Silvera into the winner’s circle. Others: :6: , :3: , :5:

Race Five:

:6: Wraith is my longshot play of the day. Yes, this Ghostzapper-bred mare has been away from the races for about two months; yet, class-wise, she holds an edge over most of these. Today’s cut-back and drop in class may well combine to put this mare in the winner’s circle. Aaron Gryder is in the irons for trainer Mitch Friedman. Others: :4: . :5: , :3:

Race Six:

:7: Irish Heroine gets my nod in this maiden-special state-bred sprint. She was a closing third in her last, a race she needed after a three-month layoff. This is her second start off a that layoff; it should work wonders for this daughter of Street Hero. Eric Cancel reprises the ride for trainer Ed Barker. Nota bene. One caveat: Barker is winless in twenty-five tries with second starts off a layoff. Others: :6: , :4: , :5:

Race Seven:

:7: Power Nap is my choice in this 50k claiming sprint, n3L. Frankly, part of my rationale in choosing this 4 year-old Smart Strike-bred colt is that I believe the outside will be the place to be as the warmer afternoon temperatures begin to thaw the Aqueduct oval. Jockey Jose Ortiz reprises the ride for the most capable Linda Rice. This Mr. Prospector-bred has hit the tote in all four of his recent starts. Last time he just missed in this company to Manhattan Mischief. I might add that trainer Rice does very well with horses entered in claiming races. Others: :6: , :2: , :4:

Race Eight:

:7: Mrs. Hudson – yes, I’m calling for three 7s in a row, sounds like a slot machine – as my choice in the OC sprint. You don’t have to be a Prince of a fellow to back this Machiavellian-bred, 4 year-old filly. This filly did win her last in allowance company (he does move up) a little over a month ago. Anything resembling that victory and she should find herself in the winner’s circle, once again. Cornelio Velasquez is in the irons for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Others: :5: , :1: , :6:

Race Nine:

:10: Rich Dalone just missed breaking his maiden in his last in this 25k maiden-claiming state-bred company. In fact, this 4 year-old Giant’s Causeway-bred gelding has been the model of consistency in hitting board in eight out of 11 lifetime races. I believe this gelding benefits from the training services of Bruce Levine and the riding skills of “The King of Philadelphia,” Liston, LA’s Kendrick Carmouche. The outside starting post should enhance this gelding’s chances of gracing the winner’s circle. Others: :5: , :6: , :4:

[Teach]

I'll be back to "fine tune" my picks. But first, a tale from the past.


Belmont vs. Suffolk; Yankees vs. Red Sox: A Friendship and “A Sea of Blue”

As I think back, Billy liked the Rangers; I liked the Bruins. He liked the Knicks; I liked the Celtics. He liked the Yankees; I liked the Red Sox. I grew up on the streets of Boston; Billy was born and brought up in a town on Long Island’s South Shore called Long Beach. Yet, there was one thing that Billy and I could agree on – racing. Thoroughbred Racing. Harness racing. I had been to Foxboro Raceway, plus Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park. Billy had visited Roosevelt Raceway, Yonkers, Aqueduct and Belmont.

In many respects, we were as different as “apples and oranges,” at least when it came to the sports teams we supported, yet we both shared a passion for thoroughbred and standardbred racing.

As we were about to graduate from college in the mid-1960s, we promised each other that shortly after we received our diplomas that we’ve have a-home-and-home visit. I’d come down to “The Big Apple” and take in an afternoon of racing at Belmont. Billy, for his part, said he’d come back up to “Beantown” to join me for an afternoon of racing at Suffolk Downs.
As I think back, it’s been over 50 years since our paths crossed. We were both then undergraduate students at Boston University.

As I recall, we met in the BU cafeteria in the spring of 1961. I remember I was sitting with some friends when I heard someone at a nearby table extolling the virtues of the New York Yankees. Well, I turned and saw this tall, young man with a New York accent telling anyone within in earshot how the Yankees should have beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1960 World Series. How Bill Mazeroski’s homer off Yankee pitcher Ralph Terry at Forbes Field was a fluke.

Well, I had to intervene. Any time I had any opportunity to lambaste the team we Bostonians would later call “The Evil Empire”… Well, I had to put my two-cents worth in.

That chance meeting in the cafeteria led to many friendly arguments – as in the figure of speech, oxymoron – between two staunch supporters of New York and Boston sports teams.
Well, as I recall, a few weeks after I had met Bill, he asked me if I wanted to pledge the fraternity he belonged to. Frankly, I was taken aback. I was very interested. But, in reality, it was impossible. You see I was a poor Boston kid who was barely coming up with enough “bread” to meet my tuition payments, let alone, books and sundries.
Yet, I was interested. The fraternities, at least in those days, were all located on Bay State Road, just behind the BU Campus (ten blades of grass if you cared to count).

Well, I recall, more out of interest than reality, I joined Bill one spring afternoon to see his fraternity house. When I entered, it reminded me of a rooming house or boarding house. There was even a “house mother”.
As I remember, Bill took me into this large parlor area. There were two or three dressers with several drawers. I remember it like it were yesterday.

Well, I recall Billy asking me who I had for second-semester Western Civ. I told him Professor Smith. Well, Billy proceeded to open one of the drawers. It wasn’t filled with clothing, but instead -- blue books. In fact my first impression when Billy opened the drawer was “Wow, a sea of blue”. As you may or may not know, most exams, at least when I went to college, were written into “blue books”. I remember Billy thumbing through the blue books and saying, “Smith, Smith, Smith.” “I’ve got it!” he says. It was like Archimedes calling out “Eureka!”

As he’s about to show me the blue book with the accompanying questions, he says, “Walt, I don’t usually show these to people who are not “brothers,” but where you say you’re “pledging” I let you have a “sneak peek”.

My first reaction. The “Mother Lode”. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I quickly wrote down cryptically the questions that Professor Smith had asked on last year’s Wester Civ. Final. Oh, one other thing, Bill showed me another drawer. Term papers galore. “Do you take English Lit?” Bill asked. I said no, but that I was thinking of taking it. As I looked at the array of term papers, they read: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Tennyson, Wilde, Thackeray… You name it!

Well, after that visit to the frat house, I told Bill it was impossible for me to “pledge”. He understood. Bill and I would remain good friends throughout our college days.

As for the exam, the one I copied the questions. I “aced” it! Not a thing was changed. Yes, I was taking a big chance that “The Prof.” would change the questions. He didn’t. When I saw the same questions, a huge smile came across my face. I had to stifle myself (like Archie Bunker to Edith).

Well, Bill and I both graduated. But, unfortunately, I never got together with him for an afternoon of racing, either in New York or Boston. I think if we ever did get together, we’d probably discuss our differing views on professional sports teams, just as we had done over fifty years ago when were both in college. Oh, and we’d likely share a whole bunch of stories about visits to various pari-mutuel tracks.

[Teach]

Some of my picks have been declared. In Race Five, :6: Wraith is scratched. I'll add the :2: if you're playing exotics. In Race Six, my :4: is scratched, I'll add :1: In Race Seven, my :6: is scratched, I'll add the :5:. In the Ninth Race, my :5: is scratched, I'll add :8:

[Teach]

It's not "bridge-jumping" time, but someone et al. has dumped some considerable "lettuce" on the :1: Carysfort Reef to show. I believe it's a worthy bet. Oh, how I remember when tracks offered a minimum $2.20 to show! I guess it beats what most banks are paying. That's for sure. In my opinion, if you're goin to toss someone out in the exotics, it's likely that :2: won't hit the board. I see the major threat to :1: coming from :6: