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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Saturday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
It is closing weekend at Aqueduct, then we will have a four-day break before Belmont Park kicks off next Friday.

We have a good 10-race card on tap at Aqueduct his afternoon with a pair of stakes—the $100,000 Woodhaven and the New York Stallion Park Avenue.

The feature at Laurel Park today is the $125,000 Federico Tesio which serves as a prep race for the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

Also later this afternoon is the richest race of the day, the $1.2 million Charles Town Classic (G2) at Charles Town in West Virginia. My analysis is below.

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

AQU Race 1 Alw $66,000N1X (1:20 ET)
#2 Hay Field 5-2
#4 Pink Twist 1-2
#5 Frosty Gal 8-1
#1 Unbridledadventure 5-1

Analysis: Hay Field has the best shot of beating the chalk in here. The mare stretches out to a mile off a game win going six furlongs against $50,000 starter allowance foes in her first start off the claim by the Englehart barn. She was claimed two back out of a runner up finish against $25,000 non-winners of two. Her lone trip going a route of ground was on the inner track here in her second career start and she faded to finish eighth. A one turn mile looks well within her scope.

Pink Twist chased a loose on the lead gate to wire winner last out in a runner up finish in her first start against winners. She was a smart looking maiden winner in her debut going six furlongs. Last out she was 7 1/4 lengths clear of the rest of the field and she looks as if she still has plenty of upside. She catches a soft spot having to face just four foes and Pletcher goes to Johnny V.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 2 / 4,5
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 9 The NY Stallion Park Avenue (5:49 ET)
#9 Orchid Party 3-1
#4 Pure Silver 5-2
#6 My Roxy Girl 9-2
#2 Aunt Babe 6-1

Analysis: Orchid Party has won three in a row, taking a state bred Alw-1 optional claimer last out in a sharp effort and earning a career top speed fig in the victory. The filly owns a solid pace profile throughout and should get a good tracking trip sitting just off the pace.

Pure Silver hit the gate at the break, chased the early pace, grabbed a brief lead and got caught at the wire to miss by a nose to Aunt babe last out. She returns off a four month break here for the Pletcher barn that is 20% winners with runners coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. This filly won her first three career starts including taking the Adirondack (G2) at the Spa last summer. Her only bad outing came when stretching out to a mile where she faded to finish seventh. She reunites with Johnny V who was aboard for her three wins and she will be tough here off the bench.

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 4,9 / 2,4,6,9
TRI: 4,9 / 2,4,6,9 / 1,2,4,6,9

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Charles Town:

CT Race 11 The Charles Town Classic G2 (5:36 ET)
#6 Diversify 8-5
#5 War Story 5-2
#2 You're to Blame 8-1
#1 Fear the Cowboy 9-2

Analysis: Diversify makes his first start since setting the early fractions and weakening to finish fourth in the Clark 'Cap (G1). She ran huge winning the state bred Shipman followed by the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) but his connections elected to skip the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He is quick and can take this field gate to wire.

War Story ran huge winning the Challenger at Tampa Bay Downs last out by 5 3/4 lengths. He ran really well in this race last year, rallying to finish third beaten a half-length for the top spot and a neck for the place spot. hard to predict how this Navarro runner is going to perform but he makes his third start of his current form cycle and the pace set by our top pick should be solid.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 9-5 or better.
EX: 5,6 / 1,2,5,6
TRI: 5,6 / 1,2,5,6 / 1,2,5,6,7

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
R1: #5 Frosty Gal 8-1
R2: #4 Mr Maybe 8-1
R4: 33 Samadi Sky 10-1
R7: #4 Codrington 8-1
R10: #11 La Manche 10-1
R10: #7 Zechariah 10-1

Good luck today!

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