We were back racing at the Big A on Thursday after Wednesday’s cancellation due to storms and gusty winds.

My top picks ended up in the red for just the second day of the inner meeting, and there are a couple of races that just left me scratching my head and what little hair I have left.

Royal Lord ($19.80) in the second, first timer Salty Doll ($54.00) in the sixth, and Eltish Star ($31.60) in the seventh were nowhere on my radar.

A few horseplayers must have been using better radar than mine yesterday, as the Pick 6 was hit for $23,248.00, with two of those longshots landing in the sequence.

I am looking forward to seeing the return of Lava Man on Saturday at Hollywood Park in the $100,000 Native Diver Handicap, but Mother Nature may put the kibosh on the eight-year-old gelding’s return to racing.

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Trainer Doug O’Neill said if heavy rains come, he would scratch Lava Man and wait for another opportunity later at Santa Anita.

Lava Man’s last race came on July 20, 2008, a sixth place finish in the Eddie Read Handicap (G1). The gelding retired with earnings of $5,268,706.

The gelding underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his ankles and responded to stem cell treatment at Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center, leading to bringing the gelding back to the track.

He has worked steadily at Hollywood Park since returning to his long-time home base in September.

The Native Diver will be contested at nine furlongs on the Cushion Track, making it interesting that O’Neill is worried about rain hitting the synthetic surface.

Among the foes he will meet on Saturday if he runs is stablemate Square Eddie, Mast Track, and Tres Borrachos.

More on the race tomorrow after I hook up my Doppler Radar.

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 $12,500N1Y (12:30 ET)
#4 Vettriano 8/1
#5 Angelic Aura 3/1
#7 Fregata 9/2
#2 Raynicks Fan 5/1

Analysis: #4 Vettriano is coming off a good runner up finish last out versus similar company on the turf and looks like he may be back on track form wise. Last year he landed in the exacta in 6 of 8 starts but this year is winless in six starts. The nine year old has 47 career starts but just one of those came on dirt, a try on the inner back in '04. This guy has been facing mostly tougher than he catches here and I'm willing to give him a good look on the inner here if we catch most of his 8/1 ML.

#5 Angelic Aura tracked the early pace from the inside and faded in the stretch to finish sixth last out in his first start off a 19-month layoff. The barn claimed this guy from Levine for $35K and he now drops into his easiest spot here second off the bench. A tough ready what we are going to see out of this guy, but the barn is 36% winners (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a +180 day layoff.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 2,4,5,7
TRI: 4,5 / 2,4,5,7 / 2,4,5,7,8

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 7 Clm $35,000 (3:16 ET)
#1 Positive Prospect 9/5
#7 Olde Glamour 10/1
#10 Unicorn Girl 8/1
#3 Dana's Bell 5/1

Analysis: #1 Positive Prospect drops into a much easier spot after a third last out against Alw-3 optional claimers. The winner of the race was Amazed by Grace, who came back to win a $75K stake at Philly in her next outing on Nov. 24. The filly has a win and a second in three trips on the inner and hard to toss anything this barn has been sending out recently. The filly popped a bullet work over at Philly on Dec. 5 and looks well spotted here.

#7 Olde Glamour caught a muddy track last out in a sixth place finish versus Alw-2 optional claimers. That outing came off a two month break and the winner and third place finisher in that race came back to win next out. The filly broke her maiden and passed her first allowance condition on the inner surface.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 8/5 or better.
EX: 1,7 / 1,3,7,10
TRI: 1,7 / 1,3,7,10 / 1,3,7,9,10

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
R1: #4 Vettriano 8/1
R2: #1 Cajun Belle 12/1
R3: #1 Windy Vale / #1`a Fortescue 8/1
R3: #6 Panther Strike 12/1
R4: #10 The Yes Man 8/1
R6: #2 laudable 10/1
R7: #7 Olde Glamour 10/1
R7: #10 Unicorn Girl 8/1
R8: #7 Goodbyeandgoodluck 10/1
R9: #4 Discreet Fling 8/1

Good luck today!