At the Gate - Saturday
By Mike Dempsey
There is no stake at Aqueduct today but we have three graded stakes at Gulfstream Park to hit including the $200,000 Swale (G2) and the return of the Todd Pletcher trained Daredevil, who won the Champagne (G1) last fall.
The stakes action starts with the $150,000 Herecomesthebride (G3) for three-year-old fillies that drew a field of nine.
The Chad Brown trained Consumer Credit is the 8-5 morning line favorite. The filly is coming off a victory in the Sweet Chant (G3) over the turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24. The daughter of More Than Ready won the Wait a While Stakes two back in her first start against winners.
Her main rival figures to be Quality Rocks (5-2) who had the lead heading for home in the Sweet Chant but could not hold off the winner and came up a length short.
Daredevil is the even money favorite in the seven furlong Swale, which will be his first start off a four-month layoff. The colt earned a lofty 107 Beyer Speed Figure in the slop in the one turn mile Champagne. I have a hunch the price is going to be south of the even money and we will look to beat him for the top spot.
The $150,000 Palm Beach (G3) drew a field of 11 three-year-olds who will go 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Brown again has the one to beat in Night Prowler, who won the Dania Beach (G3) in his last outing on Jan. 3.
Four in the race exit the Kitten’s Joy on Jan. 24 which was won by the Bill Mott trained Dubai Sky, who is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line.
Here is today’s opening race from Aqueduct to get the day off to a good start:
AQU Race 1 Clm $10,000 (1:20 ET)
7 Pulpit's Express 7-2
6 Solly's Mischief 8-5
3 Lubango 2-1
5 Tug of War 8-1
Analysis: Pulpit's Express was beaten double digit lengths in his two starts since landing here from the west coast and going to Jacobson. Both outings came against $32,000 and he is jammed in here for $16,000 here while stretching back out to a mile. The Jacobson barn is 26% winners moving runners from sprint to route. His local form does not look pretty but he catches a weak group here.
Solly's Mischief is coming off a game win last out against $16,000 non-winners of three. The gelding was claimed out of the race by the red hot Gullo barn that has been very live at the meet (34% winners) although overall the trainer is just 6% winners first off the claim. The gelding has landed in the exacta in four of five trips on the inner.
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 6,7 / 3,5,6,7
TRI: 6,7 / 3,5,6,7 / 1,3,5,6,7
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:
AQU Race 7 Clm $35,000N2L (4:18 ET)
6 Cleancut Kid 6-1
8 Flag On the Play 3-1
2 Lookingoutforyou 7-2
3 Sidearm 4-1
Analysis: Cleancut Kid stumbled coming out of the gate, came with a five wide rally and finished up well for the runner up spot last out in his first go off nearly a three month break. The winner of the race was War Hero, who came back to $16,000 non-winners of three in his next start on Feb. 26. The gelding is going to get a solid early pace to run at and should be tighter second off the break.
Flag On the Play took the field gate to wire to pick up his diploma last out in his fifth career start. Rice claimed this guy for $50,000 and he has run well in all three starts for the barn. He owns a solid pace profile throughout and he may not be on the led here but he showed two and three back in the slop he can sit off the pace.
Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 6,8 / 2,3,6,8
TRI: 6,8 / 2,3,6,8 / 3,4,5,6,8
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:
GP Race 5 The Herecomesthebride G3 (2:30 ET)
8 Consumer Credit 9-5
5 Quality Rocks 5-2
1 Devine Aida 7-2
4 Pine Needles 8-1
Analysis: Consumer Credit has won three in a row including taking the Wait a While and Sweet Chant (G3) in her last two outings and looks tough in this spot for the Chad Brown barn. Last out the filly stalked the early pace and angled toward the outside in the stretch and finished up well for the win. Brown is having a strong meting and this filly looks primed for another top effort in her second start off the two-month break.
Quality Rocks dueled for the early lead and could not hold off our top pick late last out while drifting out in the stretch, beaten a length. She was making her first start since a 10th place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Her first start on turf was a good second in the Jessamine (G3) at Keeneland last fall and note that was over ground less than firm which could be the case today with some rain in the forecast for the morning. Looks like it could be a chalky exacta here.
Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 8-5 or better.
EX: 5,8 / 1,4,5,8
TRI: 5,8 / 1,4,5,8 / 1,4,5,6,8
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Aqueduct
R1: #5 Tug of War 8-1
R3: #3 Prime Time City 10-1
R4: #4 Suckitupbuster 8-1
R5: #4 Chapman 8-1
R6: #9 Tary to the Party 10-1
R6: #7 Bet U Cant Find Me 12-1
R9: #2 Wild Ham 12-1
R9: #4 Cash Buyer 8-1
Good luck today!
