Thursday’s Race Recap from Aqueduct:
(All odds US)
Race replays from yesterday’s races from Aqueduct can be found here:
Aqueduct:
Race 1: 6th@ 3.40/1
Race 2: 11th@ 13.20/1
Race 4: 2nd (by a dirty nose!) @ 4.10/1
Race 8: 4th@ 7.50/1
Balthus got our Thursday kicked off like a lead balloon with a non-factor sixth place finish after not offering much of a run. In Race 2, our first time starter - Polka Time lagged behind, ranged up on the turn to make a move and tired in the lane. In Race 4, Sidd Finch made a move into the lane, took the lead mid stretch and got nipped on the wire in a head-bob finish. In Race 8, Battle Scars was taken off the pace and came with a flying finish but could only grab 4th. A nose away from another profitable day! Sometimes that’s how it goes.
We head back to Aqueduct for Friday’s card. We’re expecting sunny skies and a fast main track and a firm turf course with chilly temperatures. Let’s get to work.
Friday picks for Aqueduct:
Race 1: Spicer - 1 pt win (US Morning Line Odds: 5/2)
Turf maidens race a mile and a sixteenth here and there are a few first time starters here but none are very interesting. Of the ones who have run, Spicer looked best by far in replays. He finished third behind Shad Nation who subsequently finished 5th in Stakes company and the second place finisher came back to win her next start. She seemingly faces nobody today of the same quality she faced in her first start and is our likeliest candidate to graduate.
Race 4: Blewitt - 1 pt win (US Morning Line Odds: 5/1)
Lower level claimers race a mile and an eighth here and Blewitt appears to be one of only a few in here who prefers to go to the early lead. He’s got a terrific record at this track with 3 wins and 3 seconds from 7 starts and he’s won two of 4 races at this distance. He drops in class to the lowest level of his career for a trainer that’s on fire right now with 5 “in the money” finishes from 6 starters this meet so far. 5/1 is value here.
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Race 8: Magnificent Chrome - 1 pt win (US Morning Line Odds: 12/1)
Claimers sprint 6 furlongs here and early on they are all likely to be chasing Papa Smooth who may end up going off favored here. The problem with that one is that he’s been tiring badly in the lane and at short odds that kind of horse can give you heart failure. Magnificent Chrome actually beat that one last time and will offer far better odds than that one today despite that. He did benefit from a pace meltdown last time but who’s to say that won’t happen again. His lifetime best speed figure happened over this surface at this distance. I think Magnificent Chrome sits the perfect trip as the speed runners start coming back as he is rounding back into form.
Best of luck to everyone playing Friday’s races from Aqueduct !