Wednesday’s fifth race will be the last time trainer Bobby Frankel has a horse listed in his name as a trainer. Entries had come out for the card before the racing office learned of his death on Monday after a year long bout with lymphoma.
It was fitting that Life by R R went gate to wire for the victory, returning $5.00 for the victory as the favorite in the field of ten $25,000 claimers.
The three-year-old filly was ridden by Alex Solis.
The filly was saddled by Frankel’s longtime assistant Humberto Ascanio, who worked for the hall of fame trainer for over 30 years.
“I’m gonna miss him, he was a good person,” Ascanio said. “I’m not Bobby, but I learned a lot from him. It was a long run. He made my life better — he made sure all my family is okay. All his help . . . he made sure everybody around him had a good life. He’ll be missed.”
Ascanio was listed as the winning trainer in the chart, and will continue to train Frankel's stable of thirty horses.
The barn will have a presence in the upcoming Hollywood Park Turf Festival.
Ascanio said both Proudinsky and Fluke would be entered in the $300,000 Citation Handicap Nov. 27 and Ventura would make the final start of her career in the $300,000 Matriarch on Nov. 28.
Some of the better horses in the barn are owned by Juddmonte Farm, and will remain with Ascanio until the end of the year.
The weather played havoc with Thursday’s card at the Big A, knocking the seventh and ninth race off the turf, an announcement that was made just minted before the start of the Late Pick 4.
There is more rain in the forecast for today, with three turf races on today’s card in danger of being moved to the main track.
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 $12,500 (12:30 ET)
#7 Ferocious Won 7/2
#1 Ruff and Ready / #1a Midwatch 2/1
#5 Banking Holiday 5/2
#8 Smooth Wind 4/1
Analysis: #7 Ferocious Won dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish third last out for a $10K tag. The winner of the race was Independence War, who came back to beat $20K claimers in his next outing on Oct. 11. The gelding was claimed out of his last start by the Brown barn that is 25% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. The gelding has 10 wins on his resume and three have been on wet tracks, which we might see today. Four back this guy popped a career top 99 Beyer beating $14K foes in the mud at Belmont Park. He looks like a good fit here stepping up one notch in class.
#1 Ruff and Ready was a sharp winner last out against $12.5K claimers for non-winners of a race in six months. The seven year old earned the top last out speed fig in the effort. Entrymate #1a Midwatch beat $7.5K claimers last out in gate to wire fashion in the slop. The ten year old has done his best work on turf but has also run well on wet tracks (4-2-1-0). The seven-pound bug Serpa picked up another win on Wednesday.
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 5/2 or better.
EX: 1,7 / 1,5,7,8
TRI: 1,7 / 1,5,7,8 / 1,2,5,7,8
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:
AQU Race 7 Monarchs Maze S. (3:16 ET)
#7 Grassy 9/5
#5 Golden Mexico 5/1
#2 Bittel Road 3/1
#3 Duke of Homberg 20/1
Analysis: #7 Grassy gets the call if this race sticks to the grass, which is iffy at best. He came with a four wide run and finished evenly for fourth last out in the Jamaica (G1). The third place finisher in the race was Courageous Cat, who came back to finish second in the Breeders' Cup Mile, beaten just a half-length by Goldikova. The colt drops into a better spot here in this overnight stake and looks like he will be tough to handle here. He has a nice pedigree, by El Prado out of a mare that has dropped seven other turf winners including a couple of stakes winners. Ramon is back on board, NY's top jock guiding this colt to his win two back.
#5 Gold Mexico is also sent out by Clement. The colt was caught in traffic in midstretch and finished up well when clear for third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths for the top spot. The colt has handled ground with some give to it, coming up just a head shy of winning the tap Admiral three back over yielding footing at the Spa.
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 8/5 or better.
EX: 5,7 / 2,3,5,7
TRI: 5,7 / 2,3,5,7 / 2,3,5,6,7
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
R2: #3 Love of Life 12/1
R6: #5 U.S. Calvary 8/1
R7: #3 Duke of Homberg 20/1
R8: #3 Silver Shoes 8/1
Good luck today!
