Hammersly's preview: Spot plays for the turf

If you consider yourself a turf specialist, then Sunday’s card is for you. Six of the nine races are slated for the sod, including five of the last six, which constitutes the pick six.

Those events and good-sized fields do present some opportunities. Here are a couple options that may help you whittle down your ticket on your multi-race wagers.

Spot plays

Race 7
AVE’S HALO (#9, 8-1) had a fine 2013 but, after seven months off, came back to be a dull seventh March 29 at Aqueduct and sixth May 11 here. She had legit excuses, though – that March 29 run not only was her first start off that long layoff but came in the slop in a stakes race. The company was too much and the footing not her favorite. Then on May 11, she was back on her preferred ground, turf, but was facing open foes. Well, she stays on turf here and goes back in against New York-breds, and the class move, along with a couple races under her belt, may be just what the doctor ordered.

Race 9
CROWN QUEEN (#12, 4-1) hasn’t been seen since last fall, but there remain a lot of positives attached to this gal. First, she’s shown turf talent – she was third in her grass route debut Aug. 25 at Saratoga, then rallied well (after acting up in the gate) to be third in another turf route on the inner course here Oct. 3. So, she’s proven she handles turf. She’s worked in solid fashion for her Hall of Fame trainer, who is superb off a long layoff like this (Bill Mott). Oh, and then there’s her pedigree. She’s by Smart Strike, sire of the two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, who was second in the Grade 1 Man o’ War, his only grass start, and grass champ English Channel. She cost $1.6 million at auction based mostly on this: She’s kin to two-time champion and world-class distaffer Royal Delta.