Fair Grounds
Grade 2 Lecomte
1/2 129
3/4 115
Fin 119
Top 3: Instilled Regard 118, Principe Guilherme 114, Snapper Sinclair 114
Note: Instilled Regard has really blossomed around two turns, serious Derby contender at this point; race was 1.69 seconds faster than fillies ran in the Silverbulletday earlier on the card
Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 3:50 p.m. (ET) | Go to the FREE TimeformUS PPs
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a chance to remember a great man with lots of great ideas that seem as relevant today as ever. That’s about as political as I’ll get because we’ve got horses to bet on a special Monday card at the Big A. I’ll look to the Pick Three starting in the sixth race for today’s action and will keep the bets very simple.
Race 3:
Smooth Move (#1)
His rider’s saddle slipped last time, yet he still was able to get up for the victory.
He beat a fairly talented horse, Gio d’Oro, when winning his maiden.
The Pace Projector is predicting he will get a fast pace to close into.
6-1 on ML
Aqueduct | Race 7 | Post Time 3:20 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up
I suppose J J’s Dreaming (#11) deserves to be favored off his relatively fast maiden score, his only start on dirt. However, now he’s drawn in the outside post position as part of a much larger field, and he must deal with other speed. I think he’s a contender, but he’s unlikely to offer value this time.
Oaklawn | Race 8 | Post Time 4:38 p.m. (CT) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up
Arkansas’s path to the 2018 Kentucky Derby begins on Monday with the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, going a mile at Oaklawn Park. This will serve as a proving ground for all seven entrants, since each of them is looking for his first stakes victory.
Race 2:
Perina’s Pride (#5)
Exits the barn of Gaston Grant (59 TimeformUS Trainer Rating) and moves to Robertino Diodoro (91 TimeformUS Trainer Rating).
Is in the best form of her career.
Should appreciate the slight stretch-out in distance.
3-1 on ML
---
With two graded turf stakes in the sequence, here is my handicapping analysis and DRF TicketMaker wagering strategy for the late pick five Saturday at Gulfstream – a bet that can be played in 50-cent denominations and has only a 15 percent takeout.
Race 8
Aqueduct | Race 5 | Post Time 2:20 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs