Teach
04-07-2012, 12:00 PM
Aqueduct, Sat., April 7, 2012
Handicapping Selections.
Race One: #1 IdleAmerican has hit the board in five of six lifetime tries. He finished third in his last as the 5/2beaten fave. In his two turf tries thehorse has finished first (broke maiden) and third. Inside post should suit his runningstyle. Should not be too far off thepace. Cory Nakatani in the irons (Can he bring in both halves?) Only other threat is #8 Fox Rules withCornelio Velasquez. Broke maiden at thisdistance on the turf at “The Spa”. Hasbeen racing in stakes company with little to show, but here… Nicely-bred gelding whose dam won her firstfour races before being forwardly placed in Breeders Cup competition.
Race Two: In this maiden race, #4 Silverette lookssolid. She now shortens up a furlong offher last effort in which she finished second. In fact, both her starts have produced “bridesmaid” appearances. This Holy Bull-bred grey/roan filly should beon the lead and playing catch me if you can. With the shortened distance, that should be a huge task for hercompetitors.
Race Three: #9 Rum Tum Tugger (Sounds like the chorus from “OverThere”: “Rum-tum-tuming ev-ry where.”) tried six furlongs in his maideneffort. He finished fourth but waspassing “tired rivals”. The horse now stretchesout to a flat mile. That added distanceshould be a big help to this Afleet Alex-bred colt. The capable Chad Brown trains; J J Castellanogets the call.
Race Four: #11 Say Mr. Sandman (“…bring me a dream…”) arrived at the races late as a fully grown3-year old. He’s had four pari-mutuelstarts; two of those were second-place finishes. His last race, March 28, was his mostimpressive; he finished second, less than a length off the winner. He now stretches out a half-a-furlong. That added distance should help. So too, should jockey CornelioVelasquez.
Race Five: #12 Limani tries the turf once again in hiseffort to break his maiden. He tried theweeds once before at “The Big “A” late last year; he finished fourth. Yet, in that race, the comment linereferences “a belated gain”. Looks likehe might have got stuck behind a wall of horses before finally springingloose. Johnny V in the irons is a bigplus. This gelding can surprise with aclean trip.
Race Six: The well-named and well-traveled #5 Macho Dorado lookssolid in thgis ccompany at a mile. Thehorse finished second in stakes company at Santa Anita in late January in hislast. Prior to that he won twostraight. No reason to believe he can’tbe right there again. Look for him to beon or near the lead as J J Castellano tries to ration out his speed.
Race Seven: #3 Millionreasonswhy has won three of fourlifetime starts. The only time she lost shefinished second by a head. Although thefilly has never raced more than seven furlongs, this horse should be able toget the extra distance. Look for JohnVelasquez to ease this filly back at the start and then begin a late charge asthe field reaches the far turn. I seethe horse picking off rivals, one by one, as they make the run through the homestretch.
Race Eight: #1 Trinniberg won the seven furlong Grade 3Swale about a month ago. I see no reasonwhy the horse can’t repeat that effort here. The colt should be well situated in a good stalking position as thehorses make their way down the backstretch. He should be able to easily pounce on the front runner(s) and then makehis way down the stretch. Jockey WillieMartinez flies back from Dubai tohandle the assignment.
Race Nine: #6 Gemologist is my choice in the Grade 1 WoodMemorial. The Tiznow-bred has won fourstraight under the tutelage of trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey J JCastellano. I see no reason why thishorse can’t make it five in a row. Lookfor him to be on or near and then turn on the after-burners when they reach thestretch run.
Race Ten: I’m going to try for a mini-upset with theGodolphin Stables entry, #1 Emcee and #1A Tahitian Warrior. It’s simply two for the price of one. Frankly, a lot of tactical things can be donewith two horses in a short field. Further, either of these horses is capable of winning. Also, two excellent jockeys. Emcee won two in a row before finished thirdin the Tom Fool. Tahitian Warrior hashit the board in seven of 11 races.
Race Eleven: #12 Bacchi won his last two. He could well make it three in a row, at aprice (ML: 20-1). He should get a good,clean trip from his outside post. I see this horse sweeping the field in thestretch. Jockey Carlos Montalvo can getthe job done.
Handicapping Selections.
Race One: #1 IdleAmerican has hit the board in five of six lifetime tries. He finished third in his last as the 5/2beaten fave. In his two turf tries thehorse has finished first (broke maiden) and third. Inside post should suit his runningstyle. Should not be too far off thepace. Cory Nakatani in the irons (Can he bring in both halves?) Only other threat is #8 Fox Rules withCornelio Velasquez. Broke maiden at thisdistance on the turf at “The Spa”. Hasbeen racing in stakes company with little to show, but here… Nicely-bred gelding whose dam won her firstfour races before being forwardly placed in Breeders Cup competition.
Race Two: In this maiden race, #4 Silverette lookssolid. She now shortens up a furlong offher last effort in which she finished second. In fact, both her starts have produced “bridesmaid” appearances. This Holy Bull-bred grey/roan filly should beon the lead and playing catch me if you can. With the shortened distance, that should be a huge task for hercompetitors.
Race Three: #9 Rum Tum Tugger (Sounds like the chorus from “OverThere”: “Rum-tum-tuming ev-ry where.”) tried six furlongs in his maideneffort. He finished fourth but waspassing “tired rivals”. The horse now stretchesout to a flat mile. That added distanceshould be a big help to this Afleet Alex-bred colt. The capable Chad Brown trains; J J Castellanogets the call.
Race Four: #11 Say Mr. Sandman (“…bring me a dream…”) arrived at the races late as a fully grown3-year old. He’s had four pari-mutuelstarts; two of those were second-place finishes. His last race, March 28, was his mostimpressive; he finished second, less than a length off the winner. He now stretches out a half-a-furlong. That added distance should help. So too, should jockey CornelioVelasquez.
Race Five: #12 Limani tries the turf once again in hiseffort to break his maiden. He tried theweeds once before at “The Big “A” late last year; he finished fourth. Yet, in that race, the comment linereferences “a belated gain”. Looks likehe might have got stuck behind a wall of horses before finally springingloose. Johnny V in the irons is a bigplus. This gelding can surprise with aclean trip.
Race Six: The well-named and well-traveled #5 Macho Dorado lookssolid in thgis ccompany at a mile. Thehorse finished second in stakes company at Santa Anita in late January in hislast. Prior to that he won twostraight. No reason to believe he can’tbe right there again. Look for him to beon or near the lead as J J Castellano tries to ration out his speed.
Race Seven: #3 Millionreasonswhy has won three of fourlifetime starts. The only time she lost shefinished second by a head. Although thefilly has never raced more than seven furlongs, this horse should be able toget the extra distance. Look for JohnVelasquez to ease this filly back at the start and then begin a late charge asthe field reaches the far turn. I seethe horse picking off rivals, one by one, as they make the run through the homestretch.
Race Eight: #1 Trinniberg won the seven furlong Grade 3Swale about a month ago. I see no reasonwhy the horse can’t repeat that effort here. The colt should be well situated in a good stalking position as thehorses make their way down the backstretch. He should be able to easily pounce on the front runner(s) and then makehis way down the stretch. Jockey WillieMartinez flies back from Dubai tohandle the assignment.
Race Nine: #6 Gemologist is my choice in the Grade 1 WoodMemorial. The Tiznow-bred has won fourstraight under the tutelage of trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey J JCastellano. I see no reason why thishorse can’t make it five in a row. Lookfor him to be on or near and then turn on the after-burners when they reach thestretch run.
Race Ten: I’m going to try for a mini-upset with theGodolphin Stables entry, #1 Emcee and #1A Tahitian Warrior. It’s simply two for the price of one. Frankly, a lot of tactical things can be donewith two horses in a short field. Further, either of these horses is capable of winning. Also, two excellent jockeys. Emcee won two in a row before finished thirdin the Tom Fool. Tahitian Warrior hashit the board in seven of 11 races.
Race Eleven: #12 Bacchi won his last two. He could well make it three in a row, at aprice (ML: 20-1). He should get a good,clean trip from his outside post. I see this horse sweeping the field in thestretch. Jockey Carlos Montalvo can getthe job done.