At the Gate – Friday

We have no Road to the Kentucky Derby points races on tap this weekend, but we do have the Sunshine Millions at Gulfstream Park, four stakes for Florida breds with purses that total $600,000.

The feature at Aqueduct on Saturday is the $100,000 Jazil for four-year-olds and upward which drew a field of six led by Doyouknowsomething, the 6-5 morning line favorite.

I will include all of the Sunshine Millions races in Saturday’s Best Plays Report.

The feature is the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic which drew six led by Mr. Jordan, who is the 6-5 morning line favorite. The Ed Plesa trainee ran second in the Harlan’s Holiday over the Gulfstream Park main track in his last outing.

Despite being the chalk, he has to overcome a 0 for 9 record over the surface and a 0 for 4 mark at nine furlongs.

Richard the Great (5-2) has won four of 10 over the main track but has not gone nine furlongs in his career.

The $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf drew a field of eight led by 2-1 morning line favorite Enterprising, winner of the Sunshine Millions Preview at Gulfstream Park West in his last start.

A field of 10 go in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf, the biggest field among the stakes. Starship Jubilee is the 2-1 morning line favorite and makes her first start since a third in the Claiming Crown Tiara on opening day of the championship meeting.

The Sunshine Millions Sprint features X Y Jet, who makes his second start off a long layoff. He took the field gate to wire to win the Mr. Prospector (G3) in his first start since a third in the 2016 Frank DeFrancis Memorial Dash (G3).

He is trained by Jorge Navarro and a strong performance will send him to Dubai for the Golden Shaheen (G1), a race in which he ran second beaten a neck in March of 2016.

To purchase my Aqueduct Report for Friday click here .

Here is the opening race from Aqueduct to get the day off to a good start:

AQU Race 1 Clm $25,000N3X (12:20 ET)
#4 Star Empire 10-1
#2 California Swing 3-1
#7 Baratti 7-2
#8 Spring Emperor 5-1

Analysis: Star Empire returns off a three month break here with a drop in for $25,000. Last out the gelding tired to finish fifth against $35,000 non-winners of three in his second start off the claim by the Adsit barn. The gelding comes back with blinkers added and he owns back numbers good enough to be in the mix in this spot at a decent price. The gelding put in a good breeze on Jan. 10 for a barn that is showing a 1 for 16 mark with runners returning off a 61-180 day layoff.

California Swing has done his best work on turf and caught wet tracks in his last two starts. He makes his third start off the claim by the Barker barn that took him for $35,000. He has faced mostly tougher on turf ad fits in this spot. He drops into an easy spot here and gets a jock upgrade to Hernandez.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 2,4 / 2,4,7,8
TRI: 2,4 / 2,4,7,8 / 1,2,4,7,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 8 The La Verdad (3:50 ET)
#3 Absatootly 3-1
#2 Quezon 7-5
#5 Wonderment 12-1
#4 Holiday Disguise 5-2

Analysis: Absatootly dueled for the early lead and weakened in the stretch to finish third last out in the Garland of Roses over a wet track here on Dec. 9. She won a pair of stakes last year including the state bred Iroquois two back where she came from off the pace, earning a career top speed fig. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and there is not a ton of true speed in here and she can either be sent or sit just off the pace. Her best and she can turn the tables on the favorite in here.

Quezon made a good late rally to get up and win the Garland of Roses last out. She ran second to our top pick tow back. She has done her best work on wet tracks which she is not going to get today. She is the logical one to beat but our top pick is going to offer a bit more value for the top spot.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,3 / 2,3,4,5
TRI: 2,3 / 2,3,4,5 / 2,3,4,5,7

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: #4 Star Empire 10-1
R5: #6 Jetsam Six 8-1
R6: #7 Iridescent Morn 8-1
R7: #8 Isotope 8-1
R8: #5 Wonderment 12-1
R9: #4 Clever Soul 12-1

Good luck today!