We turned another profit with my top picks, meaning we have turned a profit each racing day so far this year.

Okay, it has only been three days, but Cal Ripken and Joe DiMaggio had to start somewhere.

Actually, I was not very happy how yesterday turned out, and my personal bankroll ended up in the red for the day.

I only had one winner on top in the nine races, Dana’s Bell pulling off the upset in the fifth race, returning $23.40 for the victory.

I had a few too many seconds and thirds, and we were not knocking down the exactas and trifectas.

The Eclipse Award finalists were announced yesterday by the NTRA. The hardware will be handed out on Jan. 18 at the 39th Annual Eclipse Awards Dinner. The event will be held at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills.

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I will be watching the festivities in my pajamas from Florida.

There are usually three nominations for Horse of the Year, but only Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra garnered votes this year.

Here are the finalists with my selections notated in bold:

Eclipse Award Finalists: (My selections are in bold)

Horse of the Year: Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta

Two-Year-Old Male: Lookin at Lucky, Noble's Promise, Vale of York Two-Year-Old Filly: Blind Luck, Hot Dixie Chick, She Be Wild Three-Year-Old Male: Mine That Bird, Quality Road, Summer Bird Three-Year-Old Filly: Careless Jewel, Flashing, Rachel Alexandra

Older Male: Einstein, Gio Ponti, Kodiak Kowboy Older Female: Life Is Sweet, Music Note, Zenyatta Male Sprinter: Dancing in Silks, Kodiak Kowboy, Zensational Female Sprinter: Informed Decision, Music Note, Ventura

Male Turf Horse: Conduit, Gio Ponti, Presious Passion Female Turf Horse: Goldikova, Midday, Ventura

Steeplechase Horse: Mixed Up, Red Letter Day, Spy in the Sky Owner: Godolphin Racing, Juddmonte Farms, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss Breeder: Adena Springs, Juddmonte Farms, Dolphus C. Morrison

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, John Shirreffs Jockey: Ramon Dominguez, Garrett Gomez, Julien Leparoux Apprentice Jockey: Luis Batista, Christian Santiago Reyes, Luis Saez

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 $25,000N2L (12:30 ET)
#6 Big Grey 3/1
#9 Turaath 8/5
#8 Cardiologist 10/1
#3 Extinguish 5/1

Analysis: #6 Big Grey drops in for a tag for the first time here in his second start off an eight-month layoff. The Brown barn is showing a 3 for 8 mark (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a +180 day layoff. The gelding returned off the bench facing state bred Alw-1 foes, stalking the early pace and coming up empty in the stretch in a sixth place finish. The runner up in the race was Golden Boychick, who returned to beat state bred Alw-1 company in his next outing on Jan. 2. He ran big two back breaking his maiden on the inner despite a tardy start, earning a fig that would be good enough to be in the mix in this spot.

#9 Turaath crossed the wire first at this level two back but was DQ'd for coming out and brushing a foe midstretch. Last out in his first start off the claim by the Jacobson barn the five year old checked in third off a two-month break. That has turned out to be a highly graded race, the fifth and sixth place finishers next out winners, while the winner and runner up both came back to run second in their next starts. He looks like a legit threat here as the likely short priced favorite.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 2/1 or better.
EX: 6,9 / 3,6,8,9
TRI: 6,9 / 3,6,8,9 / 3,4,6,8,9

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 8 Alw $42,000N1X (3:49 ET)
#3 Montecore 8/5
#4 Jess Not Jesse 3/1
#5 Ramblingamblinman 7/2
#2 Cannon / #2b Gridiron 8/1

Analysis: #3 Montecore stumbled coming out of the gate last out, came up the inside in the stretch and came up short when angled out in midstretch in a fourth place finish. He caught an inner track that was playing to horses on or close to the lead that day. Two back off a six-month layoff the colt was a game neck winner versus NY bred Alw-2 optional claimers. The colt looks primed for a good effort here in his third start of his current form cycle and just needs a heads up ride from Cohen, who is having a solid meeting, but does not seem to be doing much for our bankroll.

#4 Jess Not Jesse is making his first start since making a good late run to finish second in last year's Count Fleet behind the talented Haynesfield. The colt has popped three consecutive bullet drills for the Rice barn that is 28% winners with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff. He looks tight and ready to fire off the bench.

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: #8 Cardologist 10/1
R4: #9 Shopit 20/1
R4: #3 Dakota Doll 8/1
R5: #4 Wicked Queen 15/1
R6: #8 Cherokee Trick 10/1
R7: #9 City Spirit 10/1
R8: #2 Cannon / #2b Gridiron 8/1

Good luck today!