What Zloty really offers in Saturday's Blushing K.D. Stakes at Fair Grounds is a price. She's 10-1 on the morning line, and though that could be a little generous, something like 8-1 or so looks realistic.
Trainer Tim Shea saddles R. Earl's Miracle (#1, ML 15-1) and Prayingandsinging (#9, ML 9-2) in Thursday's sixth race at Penn National, a six-furlong maiden claiming race. Since Jan. 1, 2014, Shea is winning at a 29 percent clip in maiden claimers, for a return on investment of $6.36. Check out the Positive ROI report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Town Tart (#2, 6-1) returns in Thursday's second race at Aqueduct, a six-furlong optional claimer on the inner track. It will be her first start since finishing first by 8 3/4 lengths in a maiden race Oct. 29 at Belmont Park. The second-, third-, fourth-, and six-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts. Get the Key Race report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Dave Litfin's horses to watch at Aqueduct for the week of Dec. 14.
Trip Notes for December 12: Rampart, Starlet by Michael Hammersly.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Sunday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.
The death of Shared Belief two weeks ago and the retirement of Tonalist last week were unexpected. And since Shared Belief was a five-time Grade 1 stakes-winning champion who lost but twice in his career and Tonalist was a winner of highly prestigious Grade 1 events at such varied distances as one mile, 1 1/4 miles, and 1 1/2 miles, it goes without saying that they will be sorely missed in next year’s older dirt male division.
Trainer Jimmy Jerkens saddles Front (#2, ML 10-1) in Saturday's third race at Aqueduct, a one-mile-70-yard claiming race on the inner track. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Jerkens is winning at a 33 percent clip when saddling a horse switching from turf to dirt, for a return on investment of $5.08. Check out the Positive ROI report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Race 3 is for low-level maiden claimers sprinting on dirt. While horses like Flying K C (#3) and Take a Bow (#4) are logical as the shortest prices on the morning line, I want to try to wake up One More Song (#6) in this spot.
A filly who seems to have turned the corner and some price potential in a competitive maiden turf N1X give an early $1 pick three some appeal (races 3-5).
