The fall Belmont Park is history and the Aqueduct meeting gets underway this afternoon in Ozone Park, New York, a 39 day fall meeting that will take us into the dead of winter.
The highlight of the meeting is the $300,000 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile (G1) and the $300,000 Gazelle Handicap (G1) on Nov. 28.
Those are the last two Grade 1 races on the New York racing calendar. There are 16 graded stakes left for 2009 at Aqueduct, starting with Saturday’s $150,000 Bold Ruler (G3) and $150,000 Turnback the Alarm (G3).
Ramon Dominguez wrapped up the Belmont Park jockey title, his fifth straight in New York, by sweeping the late Pick 4 on Saturday, winning four straight stakes on the card.
His 39 wins were five better than the 34 wins posted by runner up Rajiv Maragh, who also had an outstanding meeting.
Todd Pletcher topped the trainer standings with 20 wins from his 64 starters, for purses of $1,617,040.
Hall of fame trainer Bill Mott was second in the standings with a dozen winners from 66 starters.
Pletcher won the fall Belmont Park meeting for the seventh time in his career.
I am expecting to see Wednesday’s races taken off the turf at the Big A, as rain fell throughout Tuesday evening.
To purchase my full card report for Keeneland and Aqueduct that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today click here.
Here is today's opening race from Keeneland to get our day off to a good start:
KEE Race 1 Md $40,000 (1:05 ET)
#4 Sea Scamp 3/1
#5 Bourbon Barrel 6/1
#2 Brewer 8/1
#1 Vlad the Impailer 10/1
Analysis: #4 Sea Scamp drops in for a tag for his second career start for the Proctor barn that is 14% winners moving runners from maiden special to maiden claiming. The colt made his debut at Arlington, setting the early fractions and tiring to finish fifth. The runner up and third place finisher in the race came back to graduate in their next starts while the winner Call Shot came back to finish second against Alw-2L foes here on Oct. 9, beaten a neck. The colt has a decent pedigree, by Yes It's True out of the stakes winner Snug Harbour ($164K) her first foal to race.
#5 Bourbon Barrel is a $70K Keeneland purchase making his debut for the Stidham barn that is 19% winners with first time starters. The colt is by Purge (15% winners with debut runners) out the stakes winner Cool Dixie ($222K) who is by win early sire Dixieland Band. She has dropped four foals to race, a pair of winners, top earner 2 for 8 Dixie Swinger ($57K). He did most of his prep work at Del Park and has had three morning drills over the poly since arriving here.
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 5/2 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 1,2,4,5
TRI: 4,5 / 1,2,4,5 / 1,2,3,4,5,11
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:
AQU Race 7 OClm $30,000N2X (3:16 ET)
#9 Exclusive Scheme 5/1
#1 Tulipmania / #1a Ambidextrous 8/1
#4 Vivi's Book 4/1
#7 Exonerated 6/1
Analysis: #9 Exclusive Scheme checked in fourth last out in the Shopping for Love, which was won by repeat winner Akillina, who returned to beat open Alw-2 optional claimers on Oct. 23. The filly has a win and a second in two trips over a wet track.
#1 Tulipmania set the early fractions and weakened to finish fifth last out on the turf in her first go off a four month layoff. The filly figures to be tighter second off the bench and has run well on wet tracks, a win and three seconds in four trips on off going.
Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 1,9 / 1,4,7,9
TRI: 1,9 / 1,4,7,9 / 1,4,7,8,9,11
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Keeneland:
KEE Race 8 Alw $52,000N1X (4:35 ET)
#12 Diamond Song 9/2
#11 Wild Poppy 5/2
#9 Pina Colada 15/1
#7 Excelente 4/1
Analysis: #12 Diamond Song tracked the early pace, got into the mix heading for home and weakened to finish fourth, beaten five lengths for the top spot. Two back she was fourth at the Spa behind the winner Moontune Missy, who came back to win the Summertime Thing at Belmont Park in her next outing. She broke her maiden over the poly here in her debut and she comes in here owning the top last out speed fig.
#11 Wild Poppy made a mild late rally to finish third last out over yielding turf at Belmont Park off a two month break. The winner Whisked Away returned to finish third versus Alw-2 optional claimers in her next start. The filly is out of the stakes winner Flanders ($805K0 who has also dropped stakes winner Surfside ($1.8 million). She has the pedigree to handle poly, or any surface really.
Wagering
WIN: #12 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 11,12 / 7,9,11,12
TRI: 11,12 / 7,9,11,12 / 2,7,8,9,11,12
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.
Keeneland
R1: #1 Vlad the Impailer 10/1
R1: #2 Brewer 8/1
R2: #10 Clever Thought 8/1
R2: #4 A Bit of Humor 12/1
R3: #4 Country Day 10/1
R4: #3 Doubles Partner 8/1
R4: #1 Pleasant Prince 8/1
R5: #3 Carryin the Dream 15/1
R5: #8 Storm by You 10/1
R6: #5 Pagosa Peak 8/1
R6: #9 Malcom’s Delite 10/1
R7: #2 Sparky’s Dream 12/1
R8: #9 Pina Colada 15/1
Aqueduct
R4: #7 Web Gem 10/1
R5: #9 Classic Moon 8/1
R5: #4 Hedge Fund 12/1
R6: #7 Figgy’s Freud 8/1
R6: #13 trusting Heart 12/1
R7: #1 Tulipmania / #1a Ambidextrous 8/1
R8: #7 Check It Twice 10/1
R9: #5 Love and Havoc 8/1
R9: #2 Mustang Island 10/1
R9: #6 Brazen Kat 12/1
Good luck today!
