JC / Railbird

Aqueduct Archive

Sunday Odds & Ends

– I almost didn’t play the Count Fleet Stakes, so sure was I that the undefeated Giant Moon would end up a post-time underlay of 6-5 or so, but the money poured in on Roman Emperor, winner by open lengths in open company at Philadelphia, and Giant Moon, whose previous three starts came in NY-bred races, ended up a decent overlay at 5-2. Breaking from the far outside, Giant Moon hooked up with rival state-bred Spanky Fischbein and showed a new willingness to stalk before pulling ahead in the stretch to win by a neck. “I thought he showed big improvement today,” said regular rider Ramon Dominguez. “I thought he was overall a stronger horse. Having a target, something to run at, made it easier on me. I didn’t have to ride him every step of the way like I did last time” (DRF). Final time was 1:41.14, good for a Beyer of 92.
– Unlikely Hutcheson winner Smooth Air is the first graded stakes winner for both his sire Smooth Jazz and dam Air France. Smooth Jazz’s first crop of 42 foals hit the track in 2007, yielding 17 starters and nine winners to date. Smooth Air is Air France’s second foal to race; half-sister Super Phoebe, a 2004 filly by Malabar Gold, is a stalwart member of the claiming ranks at Camarero Race Track, where she’s earned $57,551 and a record of 22-9-5-4.
– With the cancellation of weekend cards at Santa Anita due to ongoing Cushion Track problems, officials are considering moving racing to Hollywood (LA Times).
– Curlin breezed four furlongs in :53.4 at Fair Grounds this morning. “We’re progressing nicely,” said trainer Steve Asmussen of the move, Curlin’s first since winning the Breeders’ Classic last October.

Posted in Aqueduct on January 6, 2008

Friday Notes & Picks

– There’s a two-day pick six carryover of $161,990 at Aqueduct this afternoon, which I’ll probably end up sitting out since I’m still getting back into the swing of things after my long blogging and handicapping holiday hiatus. I’ve come up with an $864 caveman play, though, to follow through the card: R4: 6, 3, 7/R5: 8, 4, 3, 1/R6: 5, 1, 2(B)/R7: 5, 4, 10/R8: 5, 1(A)/R9: 4, 9. [Results: 5-for-6, with the loss coming in the day’s finale. Kind of glad I wasn’t a caveman.]
– Trainer Steve Asmussen plans to work Curlin a half-mile at Fair Grounds on Sunday (Blood-Horse).
– Steve Davidowitz looks into the future (Bodog).
– Past posting at Aqueduct nets some bettor an $11.40 winning daily double, further erodes horseplayers’ sense of trust in the tote system (NY Daily News).
– Eclipse Award finalists announced, no big surprises (DRF).

Posted in Aqueduct on January 4, 2008

Saturday Odds and Ends

– You know it’s a slow season when Bill Finley handicaps with psychics after dreaming of Argentina: “For just $10, I was able to chat with a CaliforniaPsychics.com psychic named LeBaron. Nice fella. Seemed to know his stuff” (ESPN).
– Matt Hegarty explains NYC OTB finances (DRF).
– After a year off due to injury, troubled jockey Pat Valenzeula returned to riding in New Mexico last week. This weekend, P Val heads to Hollywood (LA Daily News).
– Speaking of comebacks, undefeated Withers winner Divine Park, out with an injury since May, is being pointed to the December 26 Malibu at Santa Anita (Blood-Horse).

Posted in Aqueduct on November 17, 2007

Aqueduct Notes

– Another winner for trainer Kathleen Feron, now 4-for-6 at Aqueduct, on Friday when Them There Eyes upset the Scoot Stakes, paying $25.20 to win. The 3-year-old Holy Bull filly did something we don’t see much of these days: She won off short rest. Only the week before, she took an optional claimer and two weeks before that, finished second in the Office Miss Stakes for state-breds.
– Suddenly, Aqueduct is playing like Southern California. For the third time in less than three weeks, there’s a two-day pick six carryover at the Big A, with $118,054 in the pot for Saturday. The day’s feature is the very competitive Red Smith Handicap, which drew 12 starters and four AEs, and has no obvious favorite. If the race stays on the turf, I’m leaning toward Tricky Causeway, 8-1 on the morning line, but Operation Red Dawn, making his second start off a short layoff and wheeling back on two weeks rest, is another intriguing possibility, despite a penchant for traffic trouble.

Posted in Aqueduct on November 10, 2007