Beer: How I'll play Aqueduct for Saturday, Nov. 26

Late Pick 4 (Races 7 through 10):

RACE 7: Turf route for NY-breds has a full field of 12, and there is no lack of speed, at least on paper. Both #5 ORINO and #12 MARK MY STYLE are logical as the two shortest prices on the morning line, though the latter has a difficult post to overcome. I will also use #1 STORM PROPHET and #8 NO TEXTING, who were 1-2 in a 1x allowance over yielding turf at Belmont a month ago. No Texting wired that field under more aggressive handling than he had been receiving in his races earlier in the year, but again showed he is dangerous when making the lead. Storm Prophet will be racing out of conditions here, but he fits the dynamics of this race well with his closing style.

RACE 8: Excellent running of the Remsen goes through #4 TAKAFUL, an impressive debut winner for Shadwell/McLaughlin with a 92 Beyer. He looks like a real talent and is tough here, but he does have to stretch all the way out in distance. There is really no way to play the pick four leaving him out. I’ll use #9 NO DOZING, who ran very well with a tough trip in the Breeders’ Futurity, in equal strength with the favorite. For backups, I’ll use #2 NEWMAN with first-time lasix as he stretches out, and #8 MO TOWN, who has some questions surrounding his current fitness after missing a start due to reported “soreness.”

RACE 9: #1 MANITOULIN has improved since stretched out in distance and is the horse to beat in the third leg, but I’ll use #9 RICHMOND STREET in equal strength in the pick four. Richmond Street has run well vs. some good fields for Bill Mott, appears to still be improving, and may offer some value in this race.

RACE 10: Cigar Mile may simply be the right race at the right time for #1 ANCHOR DOWN, but he was handed the Kelso on a rated pace en route to that win, and he is supposed to face some pressure this time. I prefer the 3-year-old #7 CONNECT and #10 DIVINING ROD, who is cutting back after equaling his career-best Beyer in the Fayette last month.