Teach
09-15-2016, 01:19 PM
Race One:
:4: Moondance. I know we shouldn’t be playing hunches, but, just yesterday, I was listening to Van Morrison’s “Moondance” (“You know, the night’s magic seems to whisper and hush; You know, the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush.”). Oh, there are salient reasons, as well. One is the chauffeuring services of “El Dominicano,” Joel Rosario. Two. Joe Sharp’s a solid trainer who both owns and conditions this filly. Three, the New York City area received a drenching, yesterday (we could all use the precipitation, even the trees are begging the dogs). This filly has won on a wet track. She does have a decent wet-track pedigree on top. e.g., Storm Cat. This filly has faced better, recently and in the past. A recent 4-panels morning work bolsters my feelings. Finally, I like the turf-to-dirt angle. Oh, Joe Sharp does very well with horses making their second start under his tutelage. Sharp and Rosario are a solid, proven combination. Others: 2, 1/1A
Race Two:
:6: Proud Zip is my choice. This Carson City-bred should handle any wet going. I also like the outside starting post and the services of jockey Jose Ortiz. Ian Wilkes is a most capable trainer who does very well going turf to dirt. This 3 year-old gelding is dropping down the claiming ranks. I believe he’s found his ideal level and surface. This City Zip-bred gelding may go for the lead, or he may possibly sitting a stalking trip. In either case, I believe he’s a player here against these. Others: 4, 2, 3
Race Three:
:5: Roca Rojo is my choice in this optional claimer to be contested over the distance of one mile on Belmont’s Widener Turf Course. This Irish-bred filly won three-straight, two, “Across the Pond,” one at Belmont, before settling for a 4th place finish at “The Spa” in a non-graded stakes in early August. In this filly’s last, she was blocked by a cordon of horses just in front of her; she closed well, but simply ran out of real estate. A cleaner, traffic-free trip is all that would appear necessary for this 4 year-old to garner her fourth win in five tries. “Mechanicsville Chad” does very well in all racing categories; the filly’s pilot, the Hall-of-Famer, Johnny V., had an outstanding Spa meet. He’s picked up the pace at Belmont. Like a fine wine, he seems to better with age. Others: 2, 3, 4
Race Four:
:2: Rare Rose is my pick in this maiden-claiming sprint. If the main is still wet from last evening’s Gotham rains, then this bay filly should benefit. There’s wet-track pedigree on both the top and bottom. You can add the services of Joel Rosario. Rosario has started off very well at “Beautiful Belmont Park”. If memory serves me, I believe he had a three-bagger on opening day. In her last – her only pari-mutuel try – this filly got caught up in some early swift fractions and faded at the top of the stretch. A better, more measured and meted out use of this filly’s speed and endurance could well lead to a trip to the winner’s circle. A recent solid morning work bolsters confidence. Jeremiah Englehart trains. Others: 6, 8, 4
Race Five:
:3: Red Drum, an MTO, is my choice in a route race that has been taken off the turf and will be run on the main. This Candy Ride-bred has some solid wet-track pedigree that will serve him well should there be any residual moisture remaining on the main. This Ron Moquett-trainee now drops in for a tag after competing in allowance company at The Spa. This gelding has finished first and second in his two wet-track tries. Joel Rosario has the call. Others: 2, 5
Race Six:
:15: Ditch Em is my choice in a scheduled turf route that will now be run on the main. This Uncle Mo-bred filly won her last, albeit a sprint, in Tapit (Pulpit)-bred filly on-half of today’s race shouldn’t cause this Indian Charlie-bred any problems. Any moisture on the racing surface will enhance her chances. I also like her outside starting post. This filly does move up in class today as she exited the non-winners category with her maiden-breaking win in her last. The ever-improving Manny Franco pilots this daughter of Vroom Hilda for trainer George Weaver. Others: 10, 13, 4
Race Seven:
:2: Kid Friendly is my out-on-limb, longshot try in this 9-panels turf route. This Lemon Drop Kid-bred gelding does have a degree of turf pedigree. This gelding’s broodmare, Unspoken Word, did produce one turf winner. In this gelding’s only race, he broke his maiden on a sloppy main track at Saratoga. The gelding received his share of interest in that one as he went off at 7-to-2. The gelding was claimed out of that one and now resides in the Ralph Nicks barn. This gelding breeding says the distance should not be a factor. Others: 4, 1, 6.
Race Eight:
:7: Welcoming is my selection in the 7-panels optional claimer on The Widener. This Tapit (Pulpit)-bred filly has been facing better in non-graded turf stakes (the filly finished third in both). This 3 year-old now drops in with a more “comfortable” group of fillies and mares; she should find this group more to her liking. My only major concern is that this Christophe Clement trainee has been on the shelf for over two months. Yet a sharp recent work signals readiness. Joel Rosario is in the irons. Others: 1, 10, 8
Race Nine:
In the finale, my pick is :7: Fire Key in this 6-panels turf sprint. This filly was steadied early in her only pari-mutuel start at Delaware Park. I’m willing to give this Pat Kelly-trainee “a mulligan” to see if she can improve off that effort. A recent “bullet” work indicates readiness. Luis Saez is in the irons. Others: 6, 3, 8
:4: Moondance. I know we shouldn’t be playing hunches, but, just yesterday, I was listening to Van Morrison’s “Moondance” (“You know, the night’s magic seems to whisper and hush; You know, the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush.”). Oh, there are salient reasons, as well. One is the chauffeuring services of “El Dominicano,” Joel Rosario. Two. Joe Sharp’s a solid trainer who both owns and conditions this filly. Three, the New York City area received a drenching, yesterday (we could all use the precipitation, even the trees are begging the dogs). This filly has won on a wet track. She does have a decent wet-track pedigree on top. e.g., Storm Cat. This filly has faced better, recently and in the past. A recent 4-panels morning work bolsters my feelings. Finally, I like the turf-to-dirt angle. Oh, Joe Sharp does very well with horses making their second start under his tutelage. Sharp and Rosario are a solid, proven combination. Others: 2, 1/1A
Race Two:
:6: Proud Zip is my choice. This Carson City-bred should handle any wet going. I also like the outside starting post and the services of jockey Jose Ortiz. Ian Wilkes is a most capable trainer who does very well going turf to dirt. This 3 year-old gelding is dropping down the claiming ranks. I believe he’s found his ideal level and surface. This City Zip-bred gelding may go for the lead, or he may possibly sitting a stalking trip. In either case, I believe he’s a player here against these. Others: 4, 2, 3
Race Three:
:5: Roca Rojo is my choice in this optional claimer to be contested over the distance of one mile on Belmont’s Widener Turf Course. This Irish-bred filly won three-straight, two, “Across the Pond,” one at Belmont, before settling for a 4th place finish at “The Spa” in a non-graded stakes in early August. In this filly’s last, she was blocked by a cordon of horses just in front of her; she closed well, but simply ran out of real estate. A cleaner, traffic-free trip is all that would appear necessary for this 4 year-old to garner her fourth win in five tries. “Mechanicsville Chad” does very well in all racing categories; the filly’s pilot, the Hall-of-Famer, Johnny V., had an outstanding Spa meet. He’s picked up the pace at Belmont. Like a fine wine, he seems to better with age. Others: 2, 3, 4
Race Four:
:2: Rare Rose is my pick in this maiden-claiming sprint. If the main is still wet from last evening’s Gotham rains, then this bay filly should benefit. There’s wet-track pedigree on both the top and bottom. You can add the services of Joel Rosario. Rosario has started off very well at “Beautiful Belmont Park”. If memory serves me, I believe he had a three-bagger on opening day. In her last – her only pari-mutuel try – this filly got caught up in some early swift fractions and faded at the top of the stretch. A better, more measured and meted out use of this filly’s speed and endurance could well lead to a trip to the winner’s circle. A recent solid morning work bolsters confidence. Jeremiah Englehart trains. Others: 6, 8, 4
Race Five:
:3: Red Drum, an MTO, is my choice in a route race that has been taken off the turf and will be run on the main. This Candy Ride-bred has some solid wet-track pedigree that will serve him well should there be any residual moisture remaining on the main. This Ron Moquett-trainee now drops in for a tag after competing in allowance company at The Spa. This gelding has finished first and second in his two wet-track tries. Joel Rosario has the call. Others: 2, 5
Race Six:
:15: Ditch Em is my choice in a scheduled turf route that will now be run on the main. This Uncle Mo-bred filly won her last, albeit a sprint, in Tapit (Pulpit)-bred filly on-half of today’s race shouldn’t cause this Indian Charlie-bred any problems. Any moisture on the racing surface will enhance her chances. I also like her outside starting post. This filly does move up in class today as she exited the non-winners category with her maiden-breaking win in her last. The ever-improving Manny Franco pilots this daughter of Vroom Hilda for trainer George Weaver. Others: 10, 13, 4
Race Seven:
:2: Kid Friendly is my out-on-limb, longshot try in this 9-panels turf route. This Lemon Drop Kid-bred gelding does have a degree of turf pedigree. This gelding’s broodmare, Unspoken Word, did produce one turf winner. In this gelding’s only race, he broke his maiden on a sloppy main track at Saratoga. The gelding received his share of interest in that one as he went off at 7-to-2. The gelding was claimed out of that one and now resides in the Ralph Nicks barn. This gelding breeding says the distance should not be a factor. Others: 4, 1, 6.
Race Eight:
:7: Welcoming is my selection in the 7-panels optional claimer on The Widener. This Tapit (Pulpit)-bred filly has been facing better in non-graded turf stakes (the filly finished third in both). This 3 year-old now drops in with a more “comfortable” group of fillies and mares; she should find this group more to her liking. My only major concern is that this Christophe Clement trainee has been on the shelf for over two months. Yet a sharp recent work signals readiness. Joel Rosario is in the irons. Others: 1, 10, 8
Race Nine:
In the finale, my pick is :7: Fire Key in this 6-panels turf sprint. This filly was steadied early in her only pari-mutuel start at Delaware Park. I’m willing to give this Pat Kelly-trainee “a mulligan” to see if she can improve off that effort. A recent “bullet” work indicates readiness. Luis Saez is in the irons. Others: 6, 3, 8