Aqueduct handicapping roundup: Week of Nov. 9
Back at the Big A
Compared with majestic Belmont Park and historic Saratoga, Aqueduct is the ugly stepchild of the New York Racing Association circuit. A large section of the building now houses a glitzy slots parlor, but the racing side of the plant has seen little refurbishment since 1959, when Hillsdale beat Bald Eagle in the featured Aqueduct Handicap opening day.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however, and what Aqueduct lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in other ways. After peering across Belmont’s vast expanse and through Saratoga’s maze of trees, gazebos, and inner rails that were raised to accommodate renovations on the outer turf course, trip handicappers enjoy the Big A’s largely unobstructed sightlines, as do chart-callers and track announcers.
After months of turf sprints, and inscrutable maiden races for 2-year-olds, speed handicappers will soon get more opportunities to ply their trade in the kind of races (dirt) where Beyer Figures matter more, and they will make better-informed decisions about the juveniles, many of whom have form to evaluate by now.
Racing is scheduled to be conducted on the 1 1/8-mile main track through early December. The six remaining graded stakes scheduled for dirt in 2013 will be run Thanksgiving weekend, climaxed by the Cigar Mile, Remsen, Demoiselle, and Comely on Nov. 30. The Comely, formerly run in April as a sprint for 3-year-old fillies, is now run at 1 1/8 miles. It has essentially changed places with the Gazelle, which was repositioned as a one-turn race last April.
Mother Nature permitting, the turf course stays in use through early December before being bundled up for the winter. The temporary rail settings are 0, 9, and 18 feet. Studies have shown closers fare best at the zero setting; speed holds better with the rails at 9 feet, and better still at 18 feet.
Last fall, favorites on the main track were 68 for 179 (38 percent). On turf, they were 16 for 55 (29 percent).
Wide-open jockey race
Things obviously became more competitive in the local jockey colony due to the untimely retirement of Ramon Dominguez, who won 318 to 376 races per year in New York as the top rider from 2009-2012.
Now, Hall of Famer John Velazquez is sidelined indefinitely, and top-flight riders like Javier Castellano and Joel Rosario are likely to migrate to south Florida in just a few weeks. That means plenty of live mounts will open up for Irad Ortiz Jr. and his brother Jose, who topped the standings last winter with 79 and 76 wins, respectively. Capable journeymen Cornelio Velasquez, Junior Alvarado, David Cohen, and Luis Saez figure to make hay as well.
Many an apprentice has risen to prominence through an Aqueduct winter. This year’s best and brightest appear to be strong-finishing Manuel Franco and recent arrival Emmanuel Esquivel (ess-KIH-vuhl), the first bug rider to win the Arlington Park title since 1940.
“[Esquivel] is a very seasoned rider for an apprentice,” said David Jacobson, who won the 2011-12 winter training crown and was second last year to Rudy Rodriguez. “He’s patient. He waits. He knows how to save ground. … Hopefully we’ll have a lot of fun this winter.”
Early trends
Jacobson got off to a fast start, saddling four winners from his first 11 starters during the abbreviated three-day opening week. … Also breaking quickly from the gate were Kiaran McLaughlin, who went 2-1-0 with 3 runners, topped by good-looking Nashua winner Cairo Prince, and Tom Albertrani, whose 2-1-0 mark from 4 chances included Romansh’s romp in the Discovery Handicap by better than nine lengths. … The average margin of victory in dirt races opening day was 6.15 lengths. By contrast, the winning margin in four of five turf races Nov. 1-3 was a half-length or less. … With the rails at zero, the five turf winners all rallied from off the pace, and two overcame early deficits of nine and 17 lengths.