Watchmaker: How I'd play Aqueduct on Saturday, Nov. 22

I’m a player who usually focuses on early in the card (pick five, early pick four), or late in the card (late pick four). But the card Saturday at Aqueduct is a little different. I find my attention drawn toward the middle of the program, specifically races 5 and 6.

The fifth race is the female division of a New York Stallion Series stakes, and the horse I want to leverage is Sunny Desert.

I’ll be the first to admit that I might be falling into a dumb trap with Sunny Desert. Her last two finishes were dreadful, and it could be that at the tail end of her 5-year-old season Sunny Desert might be past her prime. But I think Sunny Desert’s recent form isn’t a true representation of where she really is, and I do know that if she can still bring it she is way too good for this field.

Here’s what I see with Sunny Desert: When she was second to Uncle Southern (who is also in this race) in the Union Avenue three starts back, she raced on a dead rail. When she was the beaten favorite two back, she raced wide against a gold rail. And when you needed a telescope to find her at the end of the Empire Distaff most recently, it was after she ridiculously contested the pace with a 74-1 shot, which is not how she wants to run. Oh yes, I also see that Sunny Desert is 4 for 6 in her career with a second and a third on Aqueduct’s main track.

The sixth race marks the return from a suspensory injury of Honor Code, who last year won the Remsen (over Aqueduct’s main track), and was a narrowly beaten second in the Champagne.

Honor Code might be a very serious horse, but I’m just not totally convinced yet. The Remsen he won was a bizarrely run race with an amazingly slow pace. And the colt he just missed catching in the Champagne, Havana, didn’t really pan out.

But even if Honor Code is indeed the real deal, he is a route horse at heart, despite the fact he won going seven furlongs in his career debut. This race is a 6 1/2-furlong sprint. Maybe Honor Code will win because he’s too good. But I have too many questions for a horse who will be a very short price.

I’m interested in Pure Sensation, who ran against the grain of the track last time at Parx and who adds blinkers. I'm also interested in Maleeh. Maleeh is also coming off a long layoff, but he has shown potential as a sprinter.

One other idea I have is in the eighth race, the male division of another New York Stallion Series stakes race. West Hills Giant will be tough to beat as the favorite. He ran well in his last four starts against much, much better than he meets in this race.

However, I do think John’s Island can get involved at a square price. I can’t make an excuse for John’s Island’s dull effort in the Hudson Handicap last time out, but he has some efforts not too far back that fit well in this spot, and his trainer, Jimmy Jerkens, is firing on all cylinders at this meet.