Aqueduct
Aqueduct: Closer Looks for April 6, 2014
Race 1
| Saxy Lady |
| August, 2010, career debut in a LRL-dirt sprint is the only Beyer speed figure lower than what she produced 16 days ago over the track; would need a massive-form reversal to make any impact here; the winner from last was sharp taking a 25K-claimer next out with an 81 Beyer speed figure; last win was in the mud and the win before that was in an off-the-turf event; others appeal more. |
| Rock Show |
| Exits a co-best-last Beyer when waking up in the slop but is expected to be back on a fast oval for this; the 9-0-0-0 record since the October claim and 2-0-0-0 over the track are stats not easy to take; even finish vs. the 2-back winner who repeated with an 81 speed figure. |
| Taylor Jagger |
| Troubled in 2 starts off the claim now drops below the original tag price for this; likely to be back on a fast track which is where she's performed best during career also winning 3 times at 1 Mile; reunites with the 3-time win rider and figures to work out an ideal trip sitting right behind Midnightinpositano from the gate; the pick. |
| Midnightinpositano |
| Projects to race loose on an easy lead but is 0-for-6 during career in races at 1 Mile or over; she owns the field's best Beyer speed figure accomplished over the track at 6.5F; last looks worse than it is because she dislikes wet footing; figures to take these a long way up top on a fast track. |
| Wildichi |
| 14-0-1-0 record on fast ovals is not easy to take and the apprentice who won with her sides with Midnightinpositano; her wins are when she has been forwardly placed in her races and assume she sits right off Midnightinpositano then hopes to get 1st run on the closers. |
| We'll Talk |
| Seems well spotted off the cheaper-PEN win as this field is not top heavy with superstars; latest looks better since the runner-up finisher Beyered 52 in a next-out PEN-$7,500-claiming win; hopes Midnightinpositano and one of the others go quickly on the frontend it would help her late kick; the 2-back show runner Beyered 68 in a next-out AQU-$12,500-claiming win; if gets in with 113 pounds it would be the lightest assignment of her career. - Art Gropper |
Race 3
| Kato |
| Didn't offer much in his Gulfstream debut run at this one turn trip earlier in the year and now he'll return for a barn that hasn't had any recent luck with its fresh runners; he went for nearly 8 times his sire's stud fee at auction as a yearling and the multiple SW dam did bank 479K so maybe this guy deserves another shot with the initial experience behind him. |
| Jeremy's Song |
| Triple Crown nom earned the field's highest Beyer when runner up sprinting at Tampa Bay Downs last month; beaten chalk showed improved early interest in that one and he should again be prominent from the bell on the slight stretchout for his return to New York; catches a better bunch but can threaten from here. |
| Jimmy Soul |
| Took a good step forward while stretched out to 2 turns for the first time over the inner last time; barn is profitable with its runners going second off the break and this guy appears to be quick enough to handle today's one turn configuration; contender. |
| Long Water |
| First part of the coupling gets a switch to a top pilot after tiring late to finish third while equipped with shades for the initial time; his prior career best number came in a one turn mile across town late last summer so he should benefit from the long run down the backside today; he's kin to SW router and 278K earner Long River; gets the nod in a contentious heat. |
| Sublime |
| Barn's other half tired from a wide spot in the track while making his initial route start over the inner last month; his G1 SW dam banked 2.3 million and had little problem with long one turn heats; colt has been working well since his last and given his pedigree he can't be overlooked. |
| Hurricane Turn |
| Ran into a subsequent repeater when unveiling in Florida earlier in the year and proved little match for the runner up as well in that heat; Triple Crown nominee lures Castellano and the barn excels with its fresh stock; dam dropped 4 route winners including G3 SP, 264K earner Marquee Delivery; expecting he'll move forward on the stretchout. - Steve Grabowski |
Race 5
| Flaring |
| Life and death for the win and she has lost ground late in the races since; she has a bit of speed but can't see her clearing here; Ortiz takes call for barn that is off to a nice year; still not seeing it. |
| Risque Reality |
| Toss the grass race and the form brightens; she hooked the clear winner in last but it was also a regression; back to favorite pilot; needs a rebound run. |
| Ari the Adventurer |
| Bet like a good thing and she sure didn't disappoint; note place horse was over 3 clear; she got the R and R at Palm Meadows this winter and show a bit more energy in the drill last Tuesday; the blood is there for her to have a decent career as kin to triple winner and over $125K earner Mysticism; she has had the time to mature; major threat. |
| Sustainable |
| show horse in the maiden breaker graduated next out, was 2nd beaten a half in a $75K opitional, then 3rd beaten 5 in a $75K optional here 3/27; connections hoping she matures like top kin and double stakes winner Culotte; the stakes experience could prove useful at crunch time. |
| Lady Liana |
| Don't be too harsh about last and it's always a chore to beat winners right back; drawn better this time, rider will not have to gun early but can see how the race unfolds; don't ignore. - Brian Mulligan |
Race 6
| Moonlite Encounter |
| Has earned enough checks at this level to be considered a major contender today considering the weak nature of the field; flashed some prompting speed in his last attempt over the Big A main when negotiating a mile, obviously not his best distance; playable from fence. |
| Samurai Assault |
| California arrival could not have found a much weaker group for his New York debut; even with the slow workout on 3/25, he seems like the probable favorite today; very logical contender for high-percentage connections. |
| Keyaly |
| Fifty-three consecutive losses and although he rallied in fair fashion off soft fractions recently, he will probably arrive too late for the party once again regardless of the soil condition; worth some trifecta play but cannot be viewed as the one to key on top. |
| Run Logan Run |
| Trounced both times over the inner dirt and perhaps the switch to the main can help somewhat; his sire won multiple G3s and 933K while the dam won 2 of 30 and 51K; among the winning siblings is 54K earner Gottcha Chu Chu. |
| Go to the Net |
| In the same league as Keyaly basically; takes a while to get into gear and invariably rallies after the fact; another runner in this slow group who can only be used in the minor portions of your exotic play. |
| Brilliant Einstein |
| Nothing at all to highlight thus far and the blinker introduction last month did not help at all; only bright spot on the horizon is the fact that he breezed a bit faster over this main oval 3 days ago; hard to endorse. |
| Let It Fly |
| Only one loss thus far, an accomplishment when compared to most of these; his sire won 1 of 10 attempts and 60K while the dam was without victory in 4 tries; sib to 164K bankroller Salt Lake Express; can hit the board by default. - Jim Kachulis |
Race 7
| Porvoo |
| Not much off the claim and was easily handled 3-back when trying this NY-allowance level; the winner from last just missed next out in a starter allowance (82 Beyer speed figure) while the runner-up won next out in a starter alw. with a 69 Beyer; is winless on dirt and overall since 20 races ago when going gate-to-wire on less-than-firm MED-2012 turf in a 20K maiden claimer; 73 field-best Beyer was posted October, '12, at 1M and 1-16th on BEL 'good' turf. |
| She's Always Hot |
| Returns to face NY-bred allowance runners showing nothing on dirt in June at BEL at this level when defeated by the winner who Beyered 85 in a next-out BEL-optional-claiming win; lone victory was posted on turf at 1M and 1-16th; the 2-back winner and runner-up Beyered 64-58 in next-out PRX-allowance-$7,500-claiming wins. |
| Mlle. Minuit |
| Returns to the win distance after posting her best finish vs. winners and a new Beyer Top for last; improved nicely 2nd time off the 10-week absence and seems set to move forward again; gets a good target in the speedy Lady Luciano for this. |
| Vaid |
| Has won on the lead going just 6F but figures to sit right behind Lady Luciano from the gate then get 1st run on the closers; best-last-race Beyer at longer on the Inner when just missing and would be a on a 3-race winning streak if not losing the last-2 win photos; consistent sort has 5 straight exactas to her credit while the sizzling-2-time win rider remains; the pick. |
| Lady Luciano |
| Began career on AQU Main with stamina issues; the 2-back tactic employed by her rider of going gate to wire was a lot more effective while rating in latest did not pan out well; expect her to be winging from the gate playing catch me if you can with Platinum Bombshell the one she will have to fend off early; is back to 1 Mile which should work out better; will be trying to hang on late. |
| Jcs American Dream |
| Graduated nicely from off the pace; must pass the class test noting her losses to Lady Luciano who in turn was no match for Mlle. Minuit; the 1st start with winners is often any runner's toughest-class assignment; the 2 lowest Beyers of her career were posted over today's AQU-Main oval; others appeal more. |
| Platinum Bombshell |
| Claimed twice out of her last 3 races she dominated the field on the lead in last posting a new Beyer-career best; Lady Luciano figures to fly to the front and she hopes to revert back to her 2-back stalking win; clearly the layoff and returning with blinkers and rider Esquivel has made a world of difference; the one to beat. - Art Gropper |
Race 8
| Flash Forward |
| Chased the same front running winner in each of her last 2 route tries on the inner and did take a good step forward on the figure scale last time; she was no match for today's outside drawn runner in either of her last 2 sophomore starts and she's probably better a 2 turns than the one turn trip she'll cut back to today; minor award proves to be her ceiling here. |
| Villette |
| Mare seeks her fourth straight score after winning each of her last well spaced starts; her speed should be prominent on the stretchout and she did hit the bench in career best form, but there's other lick in here and the class rise likely proves too much for her to overcome today. |
| Princess of Sylmar |
| She's a 4 time G1 SW router who beat top mare Royal Delta on the square in a one turn route at Belmont last fall before having no chance on a speed favoring track out West in the Breeders Cup Distaff; she ran well over the track at this time last year in an effort that helped propel her to the top of the division standings and though the barn surely has more lucrative route events down the line in mind for her, she did fire one of her best efforts off drills upstate last summer; classy filly looks to get plenty of lick in front of her and is the one they'll have to hold off. |
| Highestmaintenance |
| Pletcher filly has only run a handful of times and she'll get shades for the stretchout in her first start over the local main track; she does bring early foot to the table, but she's yet to clear her preliminary allowance condition and finds herself in rather tough with these gals; helps keep things going up top. |
| Montana Native |
| Beaten last out chalk should be tighter with her first start of the season behind her; she's another who has been better at 2 turns, but she did break her maiden at this one turn mile trip in Florida and she's been working well for her first crack at this venue; a top pilot takes interest and this gal does own a recency edge over the 2 big gals in here so if they aren't cranked maybe she can take advantage at an improved price. |
| Wedding Toast |
| Went on a nice run to end her sophomore season with 4 straight scores including 2 in one turn routes; barn brings them back ready and she's been working well of late at her Palm Meadows base; her regular pilot understandably opts to stick with Princess of Sylmar but she'll get the services of the guy who was aboard for her maiden score; she's got early foot but has proven she's capable of tracking and making a run and that style should play to her benefit from out here; giving her the nod to post the slight upset in her return from 4 months on the shelf. - Steve Grabowski |
Race 9
| Camie's Dancer |
| Backers got to scream for a little over 49 second before reality set in; she did show career speed the last time she broke from the rail; still passing. |
| Lavender Road |
| Some decent lick so far, very little stick; 2nd and 7th finishers in last won in this league next out with 69 and 67 Beyers respectively; stakes winning 4 for 21 dam earned nearly $200K; 3 of 4 siblings won including 2 for 11 near $130K earner Roses for Romney; nice move on the 29th; still not seeing it. |
| Keep Right |
| She has a shot to show more speed on the stretch out; place horse in last won in this league next out with a 59 Beyer; can't fault those that are a bit gun shy after the multiple flops as chalk. |
| La Dama de Hierro |
| Out of the money in every single sprint; backers can point to the fact there is an over $130K earner in the tree; look for her late if at all. |
| All Luv Me |
| It's possible she could have been intimidated by the rail; dam was unraced; this is her first to race; blowout on Wednesday should have her on her toes; expect better effort. |
| Quick Explosion |
| Debut was decent and she was inching toward the winner in last; 4 for 28 dam earned nearly $125K; lone half bro Freudian Dilemma took 5 of 38, earned over $250K; would rather see her in for a tag, try to win, and then move on. |
| Hot On Ice |
| She may have just been dead short in last; SP 5 for 13 dam earned over $100K; 7 of 9 siblings won; top sib Myakka took 5 of 20, earned almost $200K; at least she has the race to build on now. |
| Tenacious Indeed |
| Gulf Storm 6 for 121 with debuters; SP sire earned almost $200K taking 5 of 17, lost twice at 2; 7 for 41 dam earned nearly $250K; this is her first to race; lean toward watching one. |
| Laurenmychanelgirl |
| Broke a bit sluggishly and never got untracked; dam won once, banked about 12 grand in 4 starts; lone half bro Mr. Again took 3 of 15, banked nearly $90K; in good hands and Rice solid with second shooters. |
| Contender's Queen |
| She has shown the ability to run close up or come from off the pace; the race for a tag was clearly her best. |
| Princess Violet |
| Almost blew up the tote in Florida and the runners in the company line were clear; dam was 0 for 2; lone half bro Baime took 4 of 8, earned almost $80K; the shoe fits for this Princess; the one to beat. |
| Isabelle |
| A bit rank in the debut; she has trained decently before the first one including a 1:00 4/5 spin; SP 4 for 20 dam banked $150K; the half sis to win Smartie Bobbi took 3 of 19, earned almost $70K; rates upset glance. - Brian Mulligan |