Racing lost one of its best on Monday when trainer Bobby Frankel past away after a year long battle with leukemia.

Rumors had been rampart for most of the year as Frankel was not a regular visitor to his stable, which was overseen by his long time assistant Humberto Ascanio, who saddled Ventura in a second place in the Filly & Mare Sprint, a race the filly won last year.

Frankel was unstoppable from 2000-2003, winning the Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer in each of those years.

In 2003, he won a record 25 Grade 1 races, a record we might never see broken.

In his four decades as a trainer, he conditioned ten Eclipse Award winners: Ginger Punch, Aldebaran, Wandesta, Squirttle Squirt, Ryafan, Possibly Perfect, Leroidesanimaux, Intercontinental, Bertrando, and Ghostzapper.

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He did not win a Kentucky Derby or a Preakness, but Empire Maker did spoil Funny Cide’s attempt at a Triple Crown in 2003.

He lost with his first 38 starters in the Breeders’ Cup, but finally broke through when Squirttle Squirt was the upset winner in the Sprint in 2001.

He went on to win five more Breeders’ Cup races, with Starine (2002 Filly & Mare Turf), Ghostzapper (2004 Classic), Intercontinental (2005 Filly & Mare Turf), Ginger Punch (2007 Distaff), and Ventura (2008 Filly & Mare Sprint).

Frankel was a large than life figure, very popular with everyone from the backstretch to the bettors.

The hall of fame trainer had a heart as big as his training resume. He missed seeing Ginger Punch win the ’07 Distaff, instead staying home to care for his ailing dog Happy.

His 3,654 wins rank him 14th all time. His career earnings were $227,947,775, second only to fellow hall of fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Horse racing will not be the same without the best trainer of this generation and one of the greatest of all time.

To purchase my full card report for Aqueduct that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today, click here.

Here is today's opening race from Aqueduct to get our day off to a good start:

AQU Race 1 Clm $25,000 (12:30 ET)
#5 Untopable 4/1
#4 Lord Snowdon 2/1
#2 Malibu Moonshine / #2b Angelic Aura 7/2
#1 Marina Market / #1a Repenthouse 6/1

Analysis: #5 Untopable made his last start at the Big M, chasing a loose on the lead gate to wire winner in a runner up finish for a $22K tag. The gelding was nearly three lengths clear of the rest of the field and looks to be cycling back into good form here as he makes his third start off the claim by the Levine barn. Two back he set the early fractions before weakening to finish sixth for a $32K tag. The winner of that race was Dubai Gold, who came back to beat Alw-3 optional claimers in his next start on Nov. 3. Chuckie sticks and while there is some other early zip in here this guy looks like he is sitting on a good one here.

#4 Lord Snowdon drops out of a $35K claimer where he was outrun in the early going and made a mild late run to finish third. He won for a $40K tag three back and has the back class, a two time stakes winner. The gelding is making his third start of his current form cycle and has handled the main track here with a win and a couple of seconds in five trips. The Tony D. barn has been very live in the recent weeks.

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

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 8 Flitalong S. (3:44 ET)
#4 Bum Bum 10/1
#10 Denomination 7/2
#8 West Ocean 6/1
#3 Akilina 3/1

Analysis: #4 Bum Bum is coming off a third place finish over yielding ground at Keeneland trying to get nine furlongs. She tracked the early pace, made a move to get into the mix and ran out of gas, finish 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner. Two back in her U.S. debut she had to check in traffic on the far turn and finished with some run for third. That race has produced four next out winners including the winner Miss World, who won the Garden City (G1) in her next outing. The fact that Motion tries her in stakes company here bodes well and we should catch a decent price.

#10 Denomination had a terrible trip last out in the Pebbles. Ramon had to steady her while down along the inside heading down the backstretch, was boxed in traffic on the turn, and had to steady when having no room to run in the stretch. She won a Group 3 at Longchamp this spring and just needs a clean trip from the outside to get the job done here.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 4,10 / 3,4,8,10
TRI: 4,10 / 3,4,8,10 / 1,2,3,4,8,10

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: #6 Final Take 8/1
R4: #9 Tramezzini 8/1
R7: #7 Rogue’s Jewel 12/1
R8: #4 Bum Bum 10/1

Good luck today!