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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Friday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
We have a huge day on tap on Saturday with a key Road to the Kentucky Derby contest and the world’s richest race.

The $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park drew a field of 11 led by the Bill Mott trained Hidden Scroll, who looks to rebound off a fourth-place finish as the beaten 6-5 chalk in the Fountain of Youth (G2).

He seeks to turn the tables on the Fountain of Youth winner Code of Honor, who rebounded nicely after a disappointing fourth in the Mucho Macho Man in his previous outing.

Gulfstream Park has a 14-race card that includes six supporting stakes races and I will have my full card report available tomorrow.

The $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) is the final race of nine on the richest night of racing in the world, with $35 million up for grabs at Meydan. The race goes off at 12:40 ET.

It did not draw one of the most talented fields, but it is a great betting race with 13 going to the post led by last year’s winner Thunder Snow (6-1), who has lost four in a row since last year’s victory.

North American is the 5-2 morning line favorite and won the first two rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge by a combined 11 ¼ lengths.

The U.S. will be well represented by five runners—Gunnevera, Audible, Seeking the Soul, Pavel and Yoshida.

Another familiar name to U.S. horseplayers is Gronkowski, who was the runner up in last year’s Belmont Stakes (G1).

I will have selections and analysis for the race in tomorrow’s column. If you plan on betting the races from Dubai set your alarm. First post is 7:45am ET.

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package for just $99.95. It gives you a month of Aqueduct daily and Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.

To purchase my Aqueduct Report for Friday click here .

Here is the opening race from Aqueduct to get the day off to a good start:

AQU Race 1 Md Sp Wt (1:30 ET)
#4 South of the Shore 8-5
#5 We Are Family 5-1
#6 Mo Moxie 2-1
#3 Moon Tweet 6-1

Analysis: South of the Shore makes her first start since last February at Gulfstream Park where she ran second to Coach Rocks, who won the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in her next outing. The Brown trainee ran second in her first two starts as well, both again behind repeat winners. Decent works on the morning tab. The barn is 27% winners with runners coming back off a +180-day layoff.

We Are Family is making her first start since last September on turf where she checked in fifth in a highly graded race in which the top three and the ninth-place finisher all won next out. She was better on the main track, a couple of seconds and a third in her three previous trips on dirt. The Nevin barn is 17% winners with runners returning off a +180-day layoff. The $270,000 Keeneland purchase is out of a Tiznow mare that has dropped three winners, top earner stakes winner Dawly ($591,830).

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 8-5 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 4,5,6
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 9 Md $30,000 (5:50 ET)
#1 Mister Muy Bien 6-1
#5 Jack Bo 7-5
#9 Coolboy 9-2
#8 Tazmonian Devil 6-1

Analysis: Mister Muy Bien stretches out to a mile here for his second start off a 4 1/2 month break here for the RRod barn. The colt dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish third behind a 6 3/4 length winner. The runner up Taptaptap came back to graduate in his next start on March 23 at this level. The barn is 22% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route. He has enough pedigree to handle a one turn mile. He is a half to stakes winner Frosty Margarita ($599,876).

Jack Bo adds blinkers her and drops in for a $30,000 tag for his third career start. He was sent off at 29-1 in his debut in the slop where he was fifth and then showed improvement second out where he checked in third against $50,000 state breds. The runner up and fourth place finisher came out of his last outing to graduate next out. He goes for Cox today who is 24% winners first off the claim. Like the jock switch from the big to Kendrick but the price is going to be on the light side.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 1,5 / 1,5,8,9
TRI: 1,5 / 1,5,8,9 / 1,5,7,8,9

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
R3: #6 Clonedsimmard 8-1
R4: #1 Speed Khaleesi 10-1
R6: #8 Cool Your Boots 8-1

Good luck today!

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