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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Thursday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
We are back in action at Aqueduct on Thursday and for the next month we are racing four days a week with Wednesday’s now dark.

We have a big day coming up on Saturday at the Big A which features five stakes led by the $750,000 Cigar Mile (G1). Also on the card is the $250,000 Demoiselle (G2), $250,000 Go for Wand Handicap (G3), $250,000 Remsen (G2) and the $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3).

It will be take number three for the Fall Highweight. The race is the usual fixture on Thanksgiving Day, but the card was canceled due to high winds. It was rescheduled for Sunday, but weather knocked out the second half of that card.

Entries for Saturday will be out this afternoon and I’ll take a third crack at handicapping the race.

We have one stake this afternoon, the $100,000 Tepin which was scheduled for last Sunday. Seven were entered with I Dare U a main track only entrant.

The Shug McGaughey trainee Enola Gray is the 8-5 morning line favorite. The filly broke her maiden in her debut and then was fourth in the Stewart Manor over the turf at Aqueduct in her first start against winners. She stretches out to a mile and has the pedigree to handle the exacta ground.

Her main foes figure to be Logic N Reason (5-2), a smart looking maiden winner in her third career start and Quality Heat (6-1), who was third in the Chelsey Flower going a mile over good ground in her last start.

To purchase my Aqueduct Report for Thursday click here.

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

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

AQU Race 1 Md $40,000 (12:20 ET)
#8 Rousey 5-2
#6 Kathy's Cause 7-2
#2 Tarallucci 3-1
#7 Pendolino 7-2

Analysis: Rousey dropped in for a tag last out for her second career start and showed improved early zip, setting the early fractions before weakening to finish fourth. She was not a threat in her debut two back where she checked in ninth and took a little action, sent off at just under 6-1 in a field of 10. She cuts back to six furlongs here and has worked sharply since her last outing. Not a real strong turf pedigree, by Violence out of an A.P. Indy mare that has dropped three other foals to race with a pair of dirt winners. She is in a capable barn with Abreu and catches a weak looking group here.

Kathy's Cause stalked the early pace and flattened out late in a fifth-place finish while beaten 1 1/2 lengths last out. She was a game second two back producing a career tops speed fig. She now makes her 15th career start here which is a bit much, but she should be more of a forward factor here and there is not much else in here to get excited about. She is out of a stakes place Unbridled's Song mare that has dropped two winners including one turf winner.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 6,8 / 2,6,7,8
TRI: 6,8 / 2,6,7,8 / 2,5,6,7,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 8 Alw $66,000N1X (1:44 ET)
#3 Danny California 8-1
#9 Graded On a Curve 5-2
#6 Impazible Odds 12-1
#5 Southern Brigade 4-1

Analysis: Danny California raced at the back of the pack while saving ground, angled outside and was not much of a threat in a fifth-place finish last out in his first go off the claim by the Noda barn. Two back against $20,000 non-winners of three this guy rolled to a 9 1/2 length win. He is 0 for 3 on turf but he rallied to finish a good second at Belmont Park back in June. He reunites with Franco and is going to be a decent price in this spot. Noda picked up a few wins at Saratoga and has done a good job since taking out his trainer’s license, winning at a 19% clip.

Graded On a Curve was bumped coming out of the gate, stalked the early pace and made a mild late rally to finish third last out at this level going nine furlongs. He was a game second two back at the Spa and was a decent fifth three back in his first start against winners behind a pair of next out winners. Brown has been on a roll at the meeting hitting at a 30% clip. He looks like a good fit in this spot.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 5-1 or better.
EX: 3,9 / 3,5,6,9
TRI: 3,9 / 3,5,6,9 / 3,5,6,9,10

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
R4: #6 Fabulous Fun 8-1
R6: #6 Superego 8-1
R6: #3 First Deputy 8-1
R8: #3 Danny California 8-1
R8: #6 Impazible Odds 12-1

Good luck today!

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