Teach
04-28-2012, 11:19 AM
Race One:
This first race - the first half of the early double - is like throwing darts at a dart-board blindfolded. A case can be made for several horses, but which one? Who will emerge? My lukewarm endorsement goes to:
:10: My Snookie's Pal. This lightly-raced, 5-year-old Cryptoclearance-bred mare is ridden by the red-hot, Cornelio Velasquez (he won both halves of the early double, yesterday). The capable Linda Rice trains. The horse has hit the board in five out of 9 lifetime starts. In her last race, two months ago, the horse stepped up to take on state-bred allowance company; she finished last in a field of eight. I believe there was an excuse in that one; the horse was trapped down on the rail. She did eventually angle out but, by then, there was little time to mount a closing rush. Prior to that the horse had two third-place finishes. I believe this horse has as good a chance as any to get her picture taken. My only concern: the horse hasn't raced in two months. Also, she would likely benefit from an added distance of ground. Other contenders are: #8 Catreign shortens up to a sprin tafter finishing last in a route; can surprise; #7 Guyana Princess has finished fourth in her last three races; any slight improvement would put this horse into contention. One other horse I'm looking at is: #3 Soccitomebaby (remember Rowan & Martin's "Laugh In") with the ever-improving Wilmer Garcia in the irons. This Bruce Levine trainee has hit the board in seven of 10 lifetime starts.
Race Two:
:3: Spin Out is a well bred (Danzig-Ogygian) 3-year-old colt who's trained by Nick Zito and ridden by Anna Napravnik. The horse has had three lifetime starts: he has finished third, second and fourth. In each case,the
colt has either been the favorite or the second choice. Last time, at a mile, the horse drew away early from the outside post but faded to third in the stretch. This time the horse is shortening up by two furlongs. The colt also adds "blinks"; that should help him stay focused. All this could well add up to a trip to the winner'scircle. Others to consider in this race are: #6 Reload is a well-bred first-timer. Eddie Castro rides for trainer "Shug" McGaughey. Then there's #4 Rockin Boogie. He's been knocking on the door to his first win; the horse has hit the board in five of his six lifetime starts. He's been "the chalk" in his last five starts. Last time, he went
off at .70 cents on the dollar. Jockey Ramon Dominguez handles the reins for trainer Bruce Levine. If you're looking for "a bomb" tocomplete your exotic, consider #5 Stressing. He got off to a slow start and fell back to last in his most recent race; yet the colt came on in the stretch to finish third.
Race Three:
If she draws in, I'm leaning toward the AE:
:14: Ladywell Court. This filly has a fine turf pedigree. The horse's connections have switched to jockey Jose Lezcano; he's most capable . In the horse's two starts, both on the grass, she's finished fourth and fifth. In her most recent effort, this Sadler's Wells-bred filly took more detours than Boston motorists did during the "Big Dig" construction. A cleaner trip would do wonders for this horse's chances. Others worthy of consideration are:#8 She's Always Hot. This filly finishedsecond in her only try on the grass. Then, there's #6Proud Dame. The horse has been away from the races for five months. However, she did finish third in her only turf try at Belmont. #3 Grunge Girl will carry her speed as far as her four legs will take her. She finished third at a mile three weeks ago. Any slight improvement... Finally, #2 Stock Fund has hit the board in three of four turf tries.
Race Four:
In the Inside Information Stakes, my choice is: :5: Proud Pearl with Rajiv Maragh. The filly had two wins in three tries at Laurel (prior to that she was racing across "The Pond," mostly in turf races). What I like about this horse is her patient style. That may be just what's needed in this eight-furlongs race. She should be able to make a solid closing drive. One caveat: the filly hasn't raced in about a month and a half; yet, her morning work tab looks good. Others to consider in what should be a tightly contested race are: #2 Lisa T. She's hit the board in four of six lifetime starts. In fact, the only race in which she wasn't competitive was her start at "The Spa" last September. The horse's connections switch to John Velasquez. One of the top conditioners, Todd Pletcher, trains. Also, #3 Lady Cohiba. She was enterprisingly entered in a Grade2 Stakes last November; however the filly had to go three-wide at the start and finished an also-ran, The horse has had some sharp works in preparation for her 2012 pari-mutuel debut. Oh, she has been away from the races since last Thanksgiving. Finally, a longshot, #1 Hard Mystery dueled early inher last effort. That compromised any chance of hitting the tote; the Danzig-bred filly did finish up the track. Eddie Castro retains the mount; he'll be looking to make amends for last month's off-the-board finish
Race Five:
Same trainer: "007". Same jockey: Ramon Dominguez. Same owner: Tina Marie Bond. Same distance: Six Furlongs (turf). Same track: Belmont Park. Same result? My choice in this 6-furlong turf sprint is the: :1: Pin
However,the geldinghas been away from the races for six months.
Yet, this horse has won two of his four lifetime races at this distance. I think he should like the outside post (he was bumped in his last but still came on for the win). #12 Outstanding Hope is piloted by the red-hot Jose Ortiz. The horse has hit the tote in four out of 7 lifetime turf tries. Others to consider are: #9 Classic R And B. The horse won his last against somewhat stiffer competition a few weeks ago. Jockey C C Lopez is in the irons. The horse's trainer, Gary Gallo, has been on a hot streak. Then, finally, the rail horse, #2 Coronation Day with Eddie Castro. This horse has been away from the races for seven months. Yet, he's hit the board in seven of 18 turf tries. He may benefit from his inside post; should be up-close in the early stages.
Race Six:
I'm looking inside in this state-bred maiden race at the distance of one mile. My choice is the::1: Zivo. The colt is ridden and trained by the red-hot combo of Junior Alvarado and Chad Brown. In his last, his only start, the horse angled out from the rail and proceeded to mount a late four-wide charge. The jock simply ran out of real estate. Now, the horse stretches out to a mile. That added distance should give him every opportunity to get to the lead before the wire. Others to consider are: #2 Anaphylaxis (Admittedly, a longshot try, but the horse has a similar running style to my top pick). The horse should enjoy the added distance. He was bumped hard in his last start, yet he still finished third. Also, #7 Pegasus Papou. I'm not looking at this horse so much as a win prospect, but more of a hit-the-board (14 in the money out of 30 lifetime starts) type who can put the finishing touches on an exotic. Finally, last but not least, #9 Lone Star Gold has finished third in his last two tries. Any slight improvement puts this horse in the mix.
Race Seven:
:13: Lawyer Dave is my pick if he draws in from the Also-Eligibles. Yes, the horse has never raced on the lawn (he could be a telephone-numbers longshot), but he has some solid turf breeding (Langfuhr). If he takes to grass - as I believe he will - it might just provide serious value. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez has been hotter than a petardo [firecracker] in recent days; he won four-straight last Saturday. Right up there as a possible winner is the Phipps Stable's #1 State Flag. The horse is ridden by John Velasquez and trained by "Shug" McGaughey. This horse has very good turf breeding. This horse finished third on the turf in his last despite being bumped and checked more times than if he had been a Dodgem Car. A clean trip puts this Machiavellian-bred colt right there at the wire. #7 Distortionist got off slowly in in his last down at Gulfstream Park. In addition, he was steadied on the turn. Yet, the horse made up serious ground in the stretch to finish fourth. A smoother trip would put this horse into contention. #2 Didn't Take It has finished second in all three of his turf starts down in the "Sunshine State". The horse put in a solid effort in a stakes race down in Tampa earlier this month. Any repeat of his recent efforts make him a factor here.
Race Eight:
If :13: World Premier draws in, he could be a horse to be reckoned with. In his only turf start the horse was forced three wide;he ended up off the board. The horse does have a decent turf pedigree. With a smoother trip, the horse could surprise. The jock-trainer combo of Julien Leparoux and Gary Contessa are solid. #9 Born Flirt will most likely be the chalk. She's the logical choice. This 4-year-old filly returns to the turf after finishing off the board in last month's six furlong effort. The addition of Ramon Dominguez in the irons should help this well-bred filly who's hit the tote in half of her six lifetime starts. Oh, another AE that caught my attention is #15 Stray Bullet. The horse did win his last on the dirt. The filly has good turf breeding; she has hit the board intwo of 8 lifetime turf tries. #10 Tis Of Thee is one of those off-the-wall, where-in-the-world-did-you-come-up-with-this-one picks. Most people probably don't know too much about Jacqueline Falk (I've seen her ride several times at Suffolk Downs). She doesn't get many mounts on the NYRA circuit; yet she is capable. This horse does have turf breeding. Might be worth a look for completing your exotics.
Race Nine:
In the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes, I like: :6: To Honor And Serve. When lastseen on the racetrack, this horse was winning the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in the sparkling time of 1:33.4. Well, the horse is back on the track some five months later. If this Bernardini-bred colt is reasonably ready, he should prevail against this field. The horse is ridden by Jose Lezcano and trained by Bill Mott. Lifetime, the horse has won six of 11 starts; he's hit the board on nine occasions. Also worthy of consideration is #1 Boys At Tosconova. This Bertrando-bred colt has won three straight. Lifetime, he's won five of 8 starts. The horse has hit the board in every start. Last summer at Saratoga, he won the Grade 1 Hopeful. In that race, he went off at 1/2. He's now reunited with Ramon Dominguez. With Dominguez in the irons, this horse has won four times and finished second once. Another horse worthy of consideration is #5 Marilyn's Guy. When thishorse last appeared in a pari-mutuel race, he was winning the Grade 3 Excelsior. The horse has nine wins in 25 lifetime starts. This grey gelding, ridden by John Velasquez, has finished first and second in four tries at this mile distance.
Race Ten:
The finale is a state-bred six furlongs maiden race on the turf. The race has more questions than the popular game-show of a bygone era: "What's My Line?" I'm hoping an AE draws in. My top pick is: :16: Joy Rising. There's that duo, again, Cornelio Velasquez and Linda Rice. In her last race, this filly jumped out to an early lead in a mile and one-sixteenth turf route; however, the horse faded in the stretch and ended up to next to last. The trouble line talks about the fact that this horse did not rate kindly. That might have been part of this filly's education. Anyway, the horse is shortening up to a sprint. She may just be able to prevail at the shorter distance. A major contender should be #6 Rock N Cozy is the likely people's choice. She had trouble in her last race, a one mile and one-sixteenth turf race. The horse faded badly. Now, however, the horse is in a sprint; that shorter distance of ground appears more suited to this horse's running style. Jockey John Velasquez is in the irons. The horse has been second three times in four lifetime starts. Another possibility is AE, #13 Barrel Of Joy. Yes, the filly is winless in four tries, three of those came on the turf. Yet, this another horse who's shortening up off a route. Admittedly, a longshot try, this horse does have a chance. Also, #8Sweet Penny has a chance in this field. In her maiden effort three races back, the horse finished second in a 5 and 1/2 furlongs turf race. This is another surprise possibility.
This first race - the first half of the early double - is like throwing darts at a dart-board blindfolded. A case can be made for several horses, but which one? Who will emerge? My lukewarm endorsement goes to:
:10: My Snookie's Pal. This lightly-raced, 5-year-old Cryptoclearance-bred mare is ridden by the red-hot, Cornelio Velasquez (he won both halves of the early double, yesterday). The capable Linda Rice trains. The horse has hit the board in five out of 9 lifetime starts. In her last race, two months ago, the horse stepped up to take on state-bred allowance company; she finished last in a field of eight. I believe there was an excuse in that one; the horse was trapped down on the rail. She did eventually angle out but, by then, there was little time to mount a closing rush. Prior to that the horse had two third-place finishes. I believe this horse has as good a chance as any to get her picture taken. My only concern: the horse hasn't raced in two months. Also, she would likely benefit from an added distance of ground. Other contenders are: #8 Catreign shortens up to a sprin tafter finishing last in a route; can surprise; #7 Guyana Princess has finished fourth in her last three races; any slight improvement would put this horse into contention. One other horse I'm looking at is: #3 Soccitomebaby (remember Rowan & Martin's "Laugh In") with the ever-improving Wilmer Garcia in the irons. This Bruce Levine trainee has hit the board in seven of 10 lifetime starts.
Race Two:
:3: Spin Out is a well bred (Danzig-Ogygian) 3-year-old colt who's trained by Nick Zito and ridden by Anna Napravnik. The horse has had three lifetime starts: he has finished third, second and fourth. In each case,the
colt has either been the favorite or the second choice. Last time, at a mile, the horse drew away early from the outside post but faded to third in the stretch. This time the horse is shortening up by two furlongs. The colt also adds "blinks"; that should help him stay focused. All this could well add up to a trip to the winner'scircle. Others to consider in this race are: #6 Reload is a well-bred first-timer. Eddie Castro rides for trainer "Shug" McGaughey. Then there's #4 Rockin Boogie. He's been knocking on the door to his first win; the horse has hit the board in five of his six lifetime starts. He's been "the chalk" in his last five starts. Last time, he went
off at .70 cents on the dollar. Jockey Ramon Dominguez handles the reins for trainer Bruce Levine. If you're looking for "a bomb" tocomplete your exotic, consider #5 Stressing. He got off to a slow start and fell back to last in his most recent race; yet the colt came on in the stretch to finish third.
Race Three:
If she draws in, I'm leaning toward the AE:
:14: Ladywell Court. This filly has a fine turf pedigree. The horse's connections have switched to jockey Jose Lezcano; he's most capable . In the horse's two starts, both on the grass, she's finished fourth and fifth. In her most recent effort, this Sadler's Wells-bred filly took more detours than Boston motorists did during the "Big Dig" construction. A cleaner trip would do wonders for this horse's chances. Others worthy of consideration are:#8 She's Always Hot. This filly finishedsecond in her only try on the grass. Then, there's #6Proud Dame. The horse has been away from the races for five months. However, she did finish third in her only turf try at Belmont. #3 Grunge Girl will carry her speed as far as her four legs will take her. She finished third at a mile three weeks ago. Any slight improvement... Finally, #2 Stock Fund has hit the board in three of four turf tries.
Race Four:
In the Inside Information Stakes, my choice is: :5: Proud Pearl with Rajiv Maragh. The filly had two wins in three tries at Laurel (prior to that she was racing across "The Pond," mostly in turf races). What I like about this horse is her patient style. That may be just what's needed in this eight-furlongs race. She should be able to make a solid closing drive. One caveat: the filly hasn't raced in about a month and a half; yet, her morning work tab looks good. Others to consider in what should be a tightly contested race are: #2 Lisa T. She's hit the board in four of six lifetime starts. In fact, the only race in which she wasn't competitive was her start at "The Spa" last September. The horse's connections switch to John Velasquez. One of the top conditioners, Todd Pletcher, trains. Also, #3 Lady Cohiba. She was enterprisingly entered in a Grade2 Stakes last November; however the filly had to go three-wide at the start and finished an also-ran, The horse has had some sharp works in preparation for her 2012 pari-mutuel debut. Oh, she has been away from the races since last Thanksgiving. Finally, a longshot, #1 Hard Mystery dueled early inher last effort. That compromised any chance of hitting the tote; the Danzig-bred filly did finish up the track. Eddie Castro retains the mount; he'll be looking to make amends for last month's off-the-board finish
Race Five:
Same trainer: "007". Same jockey: Ramon Dominguez. Same owner: Tina Marie Bond. Same distance: Six Furlongs (turf). Same track: Belmont Park. Same result? My choice in this 6-furlong turf sprint is the: :1: Pin
However,the geldinghas been away from the races for six months.
Yet, this horse has won two of his four lifetime races at this distance. I think he should like the outside post (he was bumped in his last but still came on for the win). #12 Outstanding Hope is piloted by the red-hot Jose Ortiz. The horse has hit the tote in four out of 7 lifetime turf tries. Others to consider are: #9 Classic R And B. The horse won his last against somewhat stiffer competition a few weeks ago. Jockey C C Lopez is in the irons. The horse's trainer, Gary Gallo, has been on a hot streak. Then, finally, the rail horse, #2 Coronation Day with Eddie Castro. This horse has been away from the races for seven months. Yet, he's hit the board in seven of 18 turf tries. He may benefit from his inside post; should be up-close in the early stages.
Race Six:
I'm looking inside in this state-bred maiden race at the distance of one mile. My choice is the::1: Zivo. The colt is ridden and trained by the red-hot combo of Junior Alvarado and Chad Brown. In his last, his only start, the horse angled out from the rail and proceeded to mount a late four-wide charge. The jock simply ran out of real estate. Now, the horse stretches out to a mile. That added distance should give him every opportunity to get to the lead before the wire. Others to consider are: #2 Anaphylaxis (Admittedly, a longshot try, but the horse has a similar running style to my top pick). The horse should enjoy the added distance. He was bumped hard in his last start, yet he still finished third. Also, #7 Pegasus Papou. I'm not looking at this horse so much as a win prospect, but more of a hit-the-board (14 in the money out of 30 lifetime starts) type who can put the finishing touches on an exotic. Finally, last but not least, #9 Lone Star Gold has finished third in his last two tries. Any slight improvement puts this horse in the mix.
Race Seven:
:13: Lawyer Dave is my pick if he draws in from the Also-Eligibles. Yes, the horse has never raced on the lawn (he could be a telephone-numbers longshot), but he has some solid turf breeding (Langfuhr). If he takes to grass - as I believe he will - it might just provide serious value. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez has been hotter than a petardo [firecracker] in recent days; he won four-straight last Saturday. Right up there as a possible winner is the Phipps Stable's #1 State Flag. The horse is ridden by John Velasquez and trained by "Shug" McGaughey. This horse has very good turf breeding. This horse finished third on the turf in his last despite being bumped and checked more times than if he had been a Dodgem Car. A clean trip puts this Machiavellian-bred colt right there at the wire. #7 Distortionist got off slowly in in his last down at Gulfstream Park. In addition, he was steadied on the turn. Yet, the horse made up serious ground in the stretch to finish fourth. A smoother trip would put this horse into contention. #2 Didn't Take It has finished second in all three of his turf starts down in the "Sunshine State". The horse put in a solid effort in a stakes race down in Tampa earlier this month. Any repeat of his recent efforts make him a factor here.
Race Eight:
If :13: World Premier draws in, he could be a horse to be reckoned with. In his only turf start the horse was forced three wide;he ended up off the board. The horse does have a decent turf pedigree. With a smoother trip, the horse could surprise. The jock-trainer combo of Julien Leparoux and Gary Contessa are solid. #9 Born Flirt will most likely be the chalk. She's the logical choice. This 4-year-old filly returns to the turf after finishing off the board in last month's six furlong effort. The addition of Ramon Dominguez in the irons should help this well-bred filly who's hit the tote in half of her six lifetime starts. Oh, another AE that caught my attention is #15 Stray Bullet. The horse did win his last on the dirt. The filly has good turf breeding; she has hit the board intwo of 8 lifetime turf tries. #10 Tis Of Thee is one of those off-the-wall, where-in-the-world-did-you-come-up-with-this-one picks. Most people probably don't know too much about Jacqueline Falk (I've seen her ride several times at Suffolk Downs). She doesn't get many mounts on the NYRA circuit; yet she is capable. This horse does have turf breeding. Might be worth a look for completing your exotics.
Race Nine:
In the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes, I like: :6: To Honor And Serve. When lastseen on the racetrack, this horse was winning the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in the sparkling time of 1:33.4. Well, the horse is back on the track some five months later. If this Bernardini-bred colt is reasonably ready, he should prevail against this field. The horse is ridden by Jose Lezcano and trained by Bill Mott. Lifetime, the horse has won six of 11 starts; he's hit the board on nine occasions. Also worthy of consideration is #1 Boys At Tosconova. This Bertrando-bred colt has won three straight. Lifetime, he's won five of 8 starts. The horse has hit the board in every start. Last summer at Saratoga, he won the Grade 1 Hopeful. In that race, he went off at 1/2. He's now reunited with Ramon Dominguez. With Dominguez in the irons, this horse has won four times and finished second once. Another horse worthy of consideration is #5 Marilyn's Guy. When thishorse last appeared in a pari-mutuel race, he was winning the Grade 3 Excelsior. The horse has nine wins in 25 lifetime starts. This grey gelding, ridden by John Velasquez, has finished first and second in four tries at this mile distance.
Race Ten:
The finale is a state-bred six furlongs maiden race on the turf. The race has more questions than the popular game-show of a bygone era: "What's My Line?" I'm hoping an AE draws in. My top pick is: :16: Joy Rising. There's that duo, again, Cornelio Velasquez and Linda Rice. In her last race, this filly jumped out to an early lead in a mile and one-sixteenth turf route; however, the horse faded in the stretch and ended up to next to last. The trouble line talks about the fact that this horse did not rate kindly. That might have been part of this filly's education. Anyway, the horse is shortening up to a sprint. She may just be able to prevail at the shorter distance. A major contender should be #6 Rock N Cozy is the likely people's choice. She had trouble in her last race, a one mile and one-sixteenth turf race. The horse faded badly. Now, however, the horse is in a sprint; that shorter distance of ground appears more suited to this horse's running style. Jockey John Velasquez is in the irons. The horse has been second three times in four lifetime starts. Another possibility is AE, #13 Barrel Of Joy. Yes, the filly is winless in four tries, three of those came on the turf. Yet, this another horse who's shortening up off a route. Admittedly, a longshot try, this horse does have a chance. Also, #8Sweet Penny has a chance in this field. In her maiden effort three races back, the horse finished second in a 5 and 1/2 furlongs turf race. This is another surprise possibility.