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20 Stops to Aqueduct
It looks like the A train is running locally this weekend, which makes for a long trip to Aqueduct from Brooklyn, but at least my ride will be smoother than War Pass' trip from Florida -- turbulence rocked the Wood favorite's plane and War Pass banged his head, requiring three stitches under the chin. Quick Wood picks: As a fan, I'm rooting for War Pass to rebound. As a handicapper, I'm playing against the short- priced favorite coming off a clunker. I'm going to go with Texas Wildcatter, who was on the improve before the Gotham, but really jumped up...
Posted by JC, Apr 5, 2008 10:30 AM
Aqueduct Cancels Friday
With rain continuing to fall in New York, NYRA has decided to cancel today's racing at Aqueduct to keep the main track sealed and in condition for the Wood Memorial day card: "The main track is tight, in good shape, but factoring in that it only opened for racing two days ago and that we have Aqueduct's best day of racing tomorrow, we are doing everything we can to ensure optimum racing conditions for our big Wood Memorial Day card," New York Racing Association Racing Secretary and Handicapper P.J. Campo said. "The track is sealed so moisture doesn't soak in....
Posted by JC, Apr 4, 2008 10:45 AM
NY Going Synthetic?
- "Hayward said he would also like to get horsemen involved in discussions over the possible use of synthetic surfaces for either training or racing. Hayward said a prime candidate would be Aqueduct's main track, which has been plagued by problems the last few years" (DRF). - Play of the day, at 3-1 or better: AQU, R4, Candy for Edda. [Results: Ouch. Off at 7-2, ran last throughout.]...
Posted by JC, Feb 16, 2008 10:00 AM
Big A Cancels Wednesday
Heavy rain forces Aqueduct cancellation; racing is expected to resume on Thursday when the weather improves and NYRA's franchise is extended. Update: Here's the final NYRA bill. An announcement of a done deal is expected later this afternoon. Finally: It's settled. NYRA gets a 25-year contract, the state gets ownership of the land, and racing continues. Paul Moran breaks down the details....
Posted by JC, Feb 13, 2008 10:00 AM
Aqueduct ...
Has become unplayable....
Posted by JC, Feb 9, 2008 02:30 PM
Winning with Maidens
Trainer Dominic Galluscio has been on a little streak with his maidens at Aqueduct since January 4, when first time starter Buy a Personality scored a neck victory over Precisely Greg in the day's fourth race, a NY-bred MCL. Since then, the conditioner has gone 3-for-5 in maiden races, winning with another first time starter, Bobcat Brody, in a claiming race on January 10, and Clearly a Thrill, dropping in price from her last five starts, on January 11. On Wednesday, Galluscio sends out an interesting first time starter in the sixth: Brookhaven's Money, a 3-year-old Precise End colt, who...
Posted by JC, Jan 14, 2008 08:15 AM
Sunday Odds & Ends
- I almost didn't play the Count Fleet Stakes, so sure was I that the undefeated Giant Moon would end up a post-time underlay of 6-5 or so, but the money poured in on Roman Emperor, winner by open lengths in open company at Philadelphia, and Giant Moon, whose previous three starts came in NY-bred races, ended up a decent overlay at 5-2. Breaking from the far outside, Giant Moon hooked up with rival state-bred Spanky Fischbein and showed a new willingness to stalk before pulling ahead in the stretch to win by a neck. "I thought he showed big...
Posted by JC, Jan 6, 2008 08:00 PM
Friday Notes & Picks
- There's a two-day pick six carryover of $161,990 at Aqueduct this afternoon, which I'll probably end up sitting out since I'm still getting back into the swing of things after my long blogging and handicapping holiday hiatus. I've come up with an $864 caveman play, though, to follow through the card: R4: 6, 3, 7/R5: 8, 4, 3, 1/R6: 5, 1, 2(B)/R7: 5, 4, 10/R8: 5, 1(A)/R9: 4, 9. [Results: 5-for-6, with the loss coming in the day's finale. Kind of glad I wasn't a caveman.] - Trainer Steve Asmussen plans to work Curlin a half-mile at Fair Grounds...
Posted by JC, Jan 4, 2008 08:30 AM
Saturday Odds and Ends
- You know it's a slow season when Bill Finley handicaps with psychics after dreaming of Argentina: "For just $10, I was able to chat with a CaliforniaPsychics.com psychic named LeBaron. Nice fella. Seemed to know his stuff" (ESPN). - Matt Hegarty explains NYC OTB finances (DRF). - After a year off due to injury, troubled jockey Pat Valenzeula returned to riding in New Mexico last week. This weekend, P Val heads to Hollywood (LA Daily News). - Speaking of comebacks, undefeated Withers winner Divine Park, out with an injury since May, is being pointed to the December 26 Malibu...
Posted by JC, Nov 17, 2007 09:00 AM
Aqueduct Notes
- Another winner for trainer Kathleen Feron, now 4-for-6 at Aqueduct, on Friday when Them There Eyes upset the Scoot Stakes, paying $25.20 to win. The 3-year-old Holy Bull filly did something we don't see much of these days: She won off short rest. Only the week before, she took an optional claimer and two weeks before that, finished second in the Office Miss Stakes for state-breds. - Suddenly, Aqueduct is playing like Southern California. For the third time in less than three weeks, there's a two-day pick six carryover at the Big A, with $118,054 in the pot for...
Posted by JC, Nov 10, 2007 09:00 AM
Suffolk Shipper Scores
It's always nice to see a hometown horse make good in New York: Shipping in from Suffolk Downs off a 10-length debut romp, with jockey Yamil Rosario tagging along for the ride, Beijing House took an early lead and made hash of his three rivals in the third at Aqueduct this afternoon, finishing four lengths ahead of Top Leader as the 6-5 second favorite in the six-furlong allowance for 2-year-old New York-breds. Even-money favorite Be Bullish tired badly in the stretch and finished fourth, taking out a fair number of Aqueduct SHOWdown players who had selected the colt or were...
Posted by JC, Nov 8, 2007 07:00 PM
Five for Cornelio
- Fresh off wins with War Pass in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Kip Deville in the Mile last Saturday, jockey Cornelio Velasquez won five on Aqueduct's Wednesday card, including the overnight Wild Again Stakes with C P West, who scored his first victory since a debut win at Saratoga in 2006. Second to Divine Park in the Withers and to Street Sense in the Jim Dandy, the Nick Zito-trained colt finally met some competition more his speed. - One to add to the watch list: Music Note, a two-year-old A.P. Indy filly trained by Tom Albertrani making her second...
Posted by JC, Nov 1, 2007 10:00 PM
