At the Gate – Sunday

Magnum Moon took the field gate to wire to win the Arkansas Derby (G1) on Saturday and will head to the Kentucky Derby (G1) undefeated and looking to become the first Derby winner since Apollo in 1882 to have not raced as a juvenile.

My Boy Jack needed points to move up from his position of 20th place on the Road to the Kentucky Derby point standings and he did just that, rallying from next to last tp first at the wire, running down my top pick Telekinesis in the Lexington (G3) at Keeneland.

The victory was worth 20 points to My Boy Jack, who is now safely in the Derby field.

Solomini had to settle for third in the Arkansas Derby, but the 20 points puts him safely in the Kentucky Derby field.

The connections of Runaway Ghost said that the Sunland Derby winner will likely miss the Run for the roses with a minor injury.

Trainer Steve Asmussen trains Combatant, who ran fourth in the Arkansas Derby and is sitting in 20th in the point standings. Remember, with the addition of Gronkowski, the European Road to the Derby winner, only the top 19 make it into the Derby field.

Asmussen also trains the horses sitting in 21st through 24th place—Snapper Sinclair, Rende and Dream Baby Dream.

My Best Plays Multi Track Report for Sunday includes my nine strongest plays from Aqueduct and Keeneland.

To purchase my Aqueduct and Best Plays Reports for Sunday click here.

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

AQU Race 1 Clm $16,000N2L (1:20 ET)
#7 Asphalt Paving 7-2
#3 Truly a Moon Shot 2-1
#2 Conquest Prankster 3-1
#6 Lightning Buzz 4-1

Analysis: Asphalt Paving
tracked the early pace and tired to finish sixth last out against $40,000 non-winners of two in the slop. The gelding earned a competitive number two back at that level in a third-place finish and three back was beaten just a neck. He graduated over a wet track and has a strong off track pedigree. He drops in for $16,000 here for Levine and catches a pretty weak group.

Truly a Moon Shot was bumped coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace and finished gamely in a runner up finish, beaten a half-length for the top spot while 2 3/4 lengths clear of the rest of the field.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 3,7 / 2,3,6,7
TRI: 3,7 / 2,3,6,7 / 2,3,5,6,7

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 7 The Mizdirection (4:44 ET)
#7 Out of the Flames 7-2
#8 Raucous 6-1
#13 Africa 10-1
#5 Golden Days 5-1

Analysis: Out of the Flame
ships in from the left coast for the Callaghan barn. The filly is coming off a sharp win versus Alw-1 optional claimers going 6 1/2 on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita She was only beaten a length when third in the Sweet Life two back and was a close up third in the Juvenile Turf Sprint on the Breeders' Cup Day undercard in her U.S. debut last fall at Del Mar. She looks like she will be tough in this spot.

Raucous makes her first starts since last November where she was third in the Jimmy Durante (G3). She won the Chelsey Flower going a mile over the turf here. She makes her three-year-old debut with lasix added here for the Clement barn that is 16% winners with runners coming back off a 61-180 day layoff.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 5,7,8,13
TRI: 7,8 / 5,7,8,13 / 5,7,8,10,13

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Keeneland:

KEE Race 8 OClm $100,000C (4:57 ET)
#4 Eight Town 3-1
#2 Recruiting Ready 2-1
#7 Yorkton 4-1
#5 Harmac 8-1

Analysis: Eight Town
stalked the early pace and made a mild late rally to finish third last out in the Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3), beaten 3 1/4 lengths outrunning his 12-1 odds. Toss his mile try in the Hooper (G3) two back and this looks like a good fit in this spot. He was a sharp winner versus Alw-2 optional claimers three back in gate to wire fashion. he has a strong off track pedigree looks primed for a top effort tin his third start of his current form cycle.

Recruiting Ready chased the early pace and tired to finish sixth last out in the Pelican at Tampa Bay Downs last out. The colt had earned consistent numbers in his five starts including winning the Bachelor and Chick Lang last year. He makes his third start off the layoff here for former Pletcher assistant DePaz.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,4 / 2,4,5,7
TRI: 2,4 / 2,4,5,7 / 2,4,5,6,7

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
R4: #3 Fox Rules 8-1
R5: #3 One More Round 8-1
R6: #5 Nazay 10-1
R7: #13 Africa 10-1
R9: #9 Out of Orbit 8-1

Good luck today!