If you were betting on Churchill Downs on Wednesday, you might have noticed a 12 year old mare entered in the fifth race by the name of Grand Forks.

The mare was entered in an open $5,000 race going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track and she was listed at 50/1 on the morning line.

If you took a look at her past performances, you might have seen something very odd. Her last start came on August 2, 2000 at Del Mar against $32,000 claimers.

Yes, you read that right. The mare was coming back off a nine year layoff.

Kathleen Costello was given the horse by Rick Trontz, who had made the claim, but was unable to get her to the races. She failed as a broodmare, and was given to Costello to be a riding horse.

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Costello got her trainer’s license a couple of months ago, put the mare through three published works at the Trackside Training Center, and entered her to race.

She got close to saddling her first horse as a trainer.

The stewards ordered the mare scratched with 11 minutes to post.

Chief Steward John Vietch issued a statement that said in part, “We decided to err on the side of caution and to protect the animal and the betting public . . . It was a tough call.”

He said no rules were broken, although Trontz told the stewards he gave Costello the horse on the condition she would not race or breed it.

It will be interesting to see if this mare turns up in the entries again.

What is very curious to me is the fact that Costello decided to enter her in an open claiming race with no conditions, when certainly she could have found a softer spot in a restricted race.

Although I don’t think they have a race written for “non winners of a race in nine years.”

That’s what makes this game great. Just when I think I have seen it all, I get to see something new.

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 $25,000B (12:30 ET)
#6 Mr Magenta 4/1
#1 Bohemia Street 4/1
#5 Wild Conga 3/1
#2 Raffie's Deer 7/2

Analysis: #6 Mr Magenta is returning off a 2 1/2 month break for the Levine barn that is 31% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. The colt regressed last out in the slop off a career top two back where he beat $25K non winners of two. The winner and third place finisher came out of his last start to win next out while two others ran second next out. The colt has decent works since his last outing and the colt is reunited with Castro who was aboard for both of his wins.

#1 Bohemia Street made a good late rally to get up and beat $25K non winners of two last out. The runner up Golden Guska came out of the race to beat state bred $15K non winners of two in his next start on Nov. 11. The gelding owns a solid pace profile with good late pace numbers and looks like he will see enough pace in front of him to set things up again.

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

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 8 Love Is Eternal S. (3:44 ET)
#1 My Dinah / #1a Them There Eyes 5/1
#8 Rightly So 5/2
#3 Yet Again 8/1
#4 Lovely Daniella 8/1

Analysis: #1 My Dinah gets the call here and is by far the stronger part of the entry here. The filly stretches back out to a route here after catching a sloppy surface last out in a runner up finish behind the gate to wire winner #8 Rightly So. The filly has done her best working at today's distance (8-5-1-1) and the filly she chased last out may not have things as easy on the front in this spot. She has won 3 of 5 over the Big A main track including a restricted stake back in April. She should be rolling late.

#8 Rightly So has won four in a row since running second in her debut, last out winning her stakes debut by taking the Iroquois going seven panels in the slop. She makes her third start off the bench for the red hot Tony D. barn and has enough pedigree to handle the extra distance. She did show two back she does not need the lead to win. She does pick up six pounds for her first go at a mile and the price is going to be on the light side.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 4/1 or better.
EX: 1,8 / 1,3,4,8
TRI: 1,8 / 1,3,4,8 / 1,3,4,5,8

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: #8 King’s Fleet 12/1
R3: #4 Hunting 10/1
R4: #8 Farawaycat 10/1
R5: #6 Trusting Heart 8/1
R5: #9 Mr. Serious 12/1
R6: #7 Principesa Heather 10/1
R7: #11 Baton Rouge 12/1
R8: #3 Yet Again 8/1
R8: #4 Lovely Daniella 8/1
R9: #4 Music to Me 20/1

Good luck today!