At the Gate – Saturday

Friday worked out quietly nicely for us at Aqueduct with five winners on top on the eight-race card and we swept the late Pick 4 with my top picks.
 
The top picks paid $15.60, $7.00, $2.80, $13.20 and $5.00. The late Pick 4 with four straight top picks returned $116.74. In the Pick 6 with second choices in first two legs and my top pick in last four legs paid $1154.00.
 
Not a bad way to start off the weekend.
 
The feature at the Big A on Saturday is the $100,000 Say Florida Sandy where the key is beating the 6-5 morning line favorite Gold for the King.
 
I think we can do it with either Honor Up or Syndergaard, and they both offer decent enough value.
 
We have a pair of graded stakes on turf at Gulfstream Park this afternoon—The $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3) and the $150,000 Marshua River (G3).
 
The Tropical Turf drew a field of seven led by the 4-5 morning lien favorite Heart to Heart. The eight-year-old won the Gulfstream Park Turf (G1) last February followed by the makers 46 Mile (G1) at Keeneland, then missed taking another Garde 1 in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) where he was beaten a neck.
 
However, in his last two starts he has been beaten a combined 21 lengths.
 
In the Marshua River eight go to the post in a competitive edition. As you can see below, I landed in La Signare, who is coming off the bench for trainer Brian Lynch.
 
My Best Plays Report for Saturday includes my eight strongest plays from Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park.
 
Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package for just $99.95. It gives you a month of Aqueduct daily and my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.
 
To purchase my Aqueduct and Best Plays Reports for Saturday click here.
 
Here is the opener from Aqueduct to get the day off to a good start:
 
AQU Race 1 Md $30,000 (12:25 ET)
#7 Ladyberg   5-2
#1 Vinda Machine   9-5
#8 Irish Banker   5-1
#2 Gypsy Mama   5-1
 
Analysis: Ladyberg was sent off at 10-1 in the mud when making her debut. She was outrun early after getting pinched back coming out of the gate and did pick up some ground late to finish seventh beaten 4 1/2 lengths. She figures to move forward second out here for the Magner barn. She is out of a Private Terms mare that has dropped 10 winners.
 
Vinda Machine made her debut on turf going six furlongs where she trailed early and as not much of a threat in a seventh-place finish. She drops in for a tag here for the Weaver barn that is 25% winners (with a +ROI) with second out maidens. She is the first foal to race out of a Vindication mare. She faces much easier here.
 
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 1,7 / 1,2,7,8
TRI: 1,7 / 1,2,7,8 / 1,2,3,7,8
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:
 
AQU Race 8 The Say Florida Sandy (3:58 ET)
#9 Honor Up   9-2
#7 Syndergaard   8-1
#2 Gold for the King   6-5
#6 Celtic Chaos   5-1
 
Analysis: Honor Up is back with state breds here after a sharp win last out against Alw-1 foes. The colt tracked the early pace, dropped back to seventh and came with a good late move, drawing clear late and earning a career top speed fig. Nevin took over form Mott three back and this guy has run three solid races. He has landed in the exacta in all three of his trips at seven furlongs and has shown some versatility, two back pressing the early pace before getting caught late in a runner up finish. He should work out a good tracking trip here breaking from the outside.
 
Syndergaard was the runner up in the '16 Champagne (G1) and went on to burn some serious money as the beaten chalk in each of his three starts in '17. He went from Pletcher to Terranova and his first two starts for the barn produced a couple of losses by a combined 34 1/4 lengths against state bred Alw-2 optional claimers. However, he earned a career top last out winning at that level in a game effort. He put in a couple of good works since that win and looks back on track. Decent value if he goes off near his 8-1 morning line.
 
Gold for the King rolled in a New York Stallion Series race two back by 9 1/4 lengths at this distance. Last out in the Gravesand he was a game third, beaten 3/4 of a length as the beaten favorite. He owns a solid pace profile throughout and five of his last six numbers fit well in this spot as he is back with state breds. He has won four of his six trips over the Big A main track but tough to get too excited about backing him at 6-5.
 
Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 7,9 / 2,6,7,9
TRI: 7,9 / 2,6,7,9 / 2,5,6,7,9
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:
 
GP Race 11 The Marshua River G3 (4:47 ET)
#7 La Signare   3-1
#1 Bellavais   7-2
#6 I'm Betty G   5-1
#8 Monte Crista   4-1
 
Analysis: La Signare makes her first start since July where she carved out the early fractions and faded to finish 10th in the Belmont Oaks (G1) at 1 1/4 miles. She was a game second off the bench three back in her U.S. debut and then wired the field in the Wonder Again (G3). She has worked sharply for her return here for the Lynch barn that is 10% winners with runners coming back off a +180 day layoff.
 
Bellavais tracked the early pace while saving ground and did not have enough punch left late in a fourth-place fish in the My Charmer (G3) last out here over good ground. She came off a long layoff to beat $80,000 optional claimers two back at Belmont Park. She won a pair of stakes in '17 while in the care of Toner and makes her third start here since landing with Pletcher.
 
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 1,7 / 1,6,7,8
TRI: 1,7 / 1,6,7,8 / 1,4,6,7,8
 
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
R2: #4 Dream Are Pazible   8-1
R3: #1 Fox Red   10-1
R4: #1 Margie Cat   15-1
R5: #3 Espresso Caliente   10-1
R7: #5 Westerdale   12-1
R8: #7 Syndergaard   8-1
R9: #9 Cool Crinoline   8-1
R9: #7 Shook Em Up   10-1  
 
Good luck today!