The stakes races on the card are interesting, but I'm looking at a pick 3 on Saturday at Tampa that doesn’t contain any of them. Rather than spread too deep with ABC's I'll concentrate solely on the "A" plays, with a single in the middle pegged at 4-1 on the morning line:

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Let us not discuss our Pix last week other than to say we apologize. We concentrate on first time starters and sometimes we are faced with a situation in which some races are full of potential scratches, either because some are on the AE list or there might be weather factors. The two we chose had some weather issues, but in the end were bad choices.  Still, on that same card there were three eminently playable first timers which won at decent odds, so it pays to get that card and do your own homework as well.

Aqueduct | Race 1 | Post Time 12:50 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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Race 1: My Victoria Rose (#2)
Appears to be coming into this race in the best form of her career.
Altered course numerous times while rallying last time, but was finishing best at the end.
Gets a positive rider switch back to Junior Alvarado.
4-1 on ML
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Fair Grounds | Race 12, Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes | Post Time 5:49 p.m. (CT) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
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Our TimeformUS Derby Preps series continues with the first stop on the New Orleans path to the Run for the Roses, where 14 3-year-olds will contest the Grade 3 Lecomte on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

CHICORY BLUE
Trainer: Anthony Granitz
Date: Jan. 2, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 6 1/4
Beyer: 71
Caught the eye with a solid late run for the show here behind a winning favorite who controlled the pace from the start.

Santa Anita has Saturday’s stakes with the highest grade in the Grade 2, $200,000 Palos Verdes, which lured likely repeat male sprint champion Roy H, but there are multi-stakes cards at Fair Grounds, Gulfstream, and Tampa Bay Downs.

The Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes tops a program at Fair Grounds that also includes five other stakes. The $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic is the feature at Gulfstream on a card that has three other Sunshine Millions events. And Tampa has a stakes tripleheader, led by the Gasparilla and Pasco, worth up to $125,000 each.

SPEAKERS
Trainer: Andrew Lerner
Last race: Jan. 10, 1st
Finish: 3rd by 3
Beyer: 65
This turf-route mare had an odd trip. Saved ground, stuck behind runners at the quarter pole, never asked to run in the stretch, and finished evenly. The race was inconclusive. Fits with N3L or Cal-bred N1X.

Jan. 12

Gulfstream
Tropical Turf (race 9)

Aqueduct | Race 3 | Post Time 1:55 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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