Race One:
CITIZEN BY DAY is my choice in this 40k maiden claiming route. Dylan Davis pilots this 4 year-old bay filly for trainer Ray Handal. Handal, by the way, is having an excellent “Big A” meet. He’s saddled five winners in just 17 tries. If the recent thawing conditions soften up the Aqueduct main, all the better. There’s wet-track pedigree both “up” and “down”. On the top-side, there’s Proud Citizen (Gone West). On the bottom, there’s Tiznow (that means Relaunch). The aforementioned Dylan Davis is having, quite candidly, a “so-so” “Big A” meet; he’s “booted home” about 10% of his mounts. I do have a couple gnawing concerns. (1) this filly has been away from the races for about 7 months; she was last seen on the racetrack in the beginning of the summer at Belmont. (2) the other concern is the fact that she’s been running primarily on the grass. Yet, if the track is thawing, she would likely benefit. This filly seems like the best, almost by default. Yet, I believe this is no race to be “betting the ranch”. Too many imponderables! Others:
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Race Two:
PLAYTHATFUNNYMUSIC gets my nod in this n2L 5 and ½ panels sprint. This Disco Rico-bred gelding did win, two races back, against better in early December (if I recall correctly, it was a Pick 6 “killer” for apprentice JR Martinez). This chestnut has a degree of wet-track pedigree (if there’s any softening of the Aqueduct surface, it would be to his benefit). This gelding’s jock is an ever-improving Antonio Gallardo. Gallardo is in the irons for trainer Joe Parker. Parker has been picking up the pace, lately. Others:
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Race Three:
LA INESPERADA is my choice in the Optional Claiming route. This Tiznow-bred mare would relish any moisture on the Aqueduct oval. The mare has a solid wet-track pedigree; she definitely moves up on a moisture-laden surface. I’m predicating my pick on the belief that the main will turn – at the very least – good. One of NYRA’s best, Irad Ortiz, Jr., is in the irons for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Rodriguez is having an excellent “Big A” meet. This mare should be out and going when the bell sounds and the gates unlatch. My only concern is that this Forest Wildcat-bred distaffer has been away from the races for nearly two months. Others:
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Race Four:
CONTROL GROUP is my selection in this 62.5k state-bred maiden claiming route. This Posse-bred bay colt may just have found the right company to garner his first win. The 3 year-old drops into “the selling ranks” for the first time. Wasn’t it “The Big A,” Tony Stabile (“King of the Spa”) who said that the drop from MSW to maiden claiming is the most precipitous in thoroughbred racing. Well, the opportunity presents itself. You know what they say – whoever “they” are: “Success Is When Opportunity Meets Preparation”. Voila! If it were that easy, we’d all be millionaires. Anyway. I believe this Gary Contessa trainee has a solid shot of getting his picture taken. Antonio Gallardo is in the irons. Others:
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Race Five:
ERIK THE RED won against this very same maiden-claiming company about one month ago. Jose Ortiz reprises his route ride for his new in-law, trainer Linda Rice. Rice who both owns and trains this 7 year-old Into Mischief-bred gelding, is having an outstanding Aqueduct meet. Rice does very well in all racing categories; yet, this Wisconsin native does particularly well with claim repeaters. Anything that comes close to this gelding’s last winning effort and it’ll be: “Katy-Bar-The Door”. Others:
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Race Six:
FINAL CHAPTER gets my tepid nod in what I perceive is a wide-open 10k claiming sprint. For one, the most capable Jose Ortiz is in the irons for an equally capable trainer, Charley Baker. This Gulch-bred chestnut horse has shown that he can win on the main as well as on the turf. This Thunder Gulch-bred has most definitely faced better. This may well be this horse’s “spot”. Finally, it should be mentioned that the aforementioned Baker does very withy horses entered in claiming races.
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Race Seven:
PROUD ZIP draws the rail in this 2-turn, one mile and 70 on the Aqueduct Inner. Trainer Rick Violette, Jr. – he’s having an excellent “Big A” meet – is adding blinkers to this City Zip-bred gelding (it should be duly noted that this strategy has worked less than 10% of the time. Yet, having said that, I still believe this 4 year-old is “a contendah”. The chauffeuring services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. should help. This gelding will move up on a wet surface. Others:
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Race Eight:
MALIBU PRINCESS is my choice in this allowance sprint. This 4 year-old Malibu Moon-bred filly got caught 7-wide in her last; yet she managed to finish second to a runaway winner. Irad Ortiz, Jr. reprises the ride for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Rodriguez does very well with dirt starts. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ortiz, Jr. put this filly right on the lead. A wet track would appear to move this A.P. Indy bred up. Others:
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Race Nine:
ORNATO is my pick in the finale. This Orientate 4 year-old gelding has been most competitive at the MC state-bred level. This gelding just missed breaking his maiden in early December. The slight cutback should aid and abet his chances. I believe that Dylan Davis will have this gelding out and going when the gates open. The capable Jim Bond is this gelding’s trainer. I must candidly state that Bond is having a mediocre Aqueduct meet. Yet, this gelding has a chance of brightening the picture. Others:
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