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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Monday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
As the New Year rolls in we have racing at Aqueduct this afternoon, tomorrow and on New Year’s Day and then we will be dark on Thursday and Friday. The weather looks lousy for today but will improve by post time on Tuesday afternoon.

We have no stakes action today or tomorrow but will ring in the New Year on Wednesday with a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race—the $150,000 Jerome at one mile on the main tack. Entries for the race will be out today.

Today’s eight race card could get off to a chalky start. The 6-5 morning line favorite Wild Boar looks tough in the opener and Mr. Shortandasimple is imposing as the 8-5 morning line favorite in the second race.

The early Pick 5 could still pay decent if we can beat a few favorites late in the five-race sequence, including One Eyed Jack (6-5) in the third and Stay Fond (4-5) in the fourth race.

The fifth race is the most wide open race of the sequence with no heavy favorite.

I handicapped today’s card for an off track with a 100% of rain in the forecast.

To purchase my Aqueduct Report for Monday 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 (12:30 ET)
#3 Wild Boar 6-5
#1 Disciplinarian 4-1
#2 My Primo 9-5
#4 Bank Gala 15-1

Analysis: Wild Boar goes turf to dirt here and runs for a tag for the second time in his career. Last out for this tag he dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish fifth going long on turf at Belmont Park. Four of his last five starts have come on turf while his best finish was a third on the main track here at a mile last November. Blinkers are added here by Kimmel and this guy has a solid off track pedigree, by Tale of the Cat out of a Unbridled's Song mare, her first foal to race.

Disciplinarian broke poorly last out an was not a threat in a seventh-place finish in the slop going six furlongs. Two back he ran third on turf behind repeat winner Worth a Shot, who beat state bred Alw-1 foes in his next outing here on Nov. 3. The Donk trainee's best effort was a game second three back on turf for this tag. Donk drops him back in for a tag here and he has a decent enough off track pedigree.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 7-5 or better.
EX: 1,3 / 1,2,3,4
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 7 Alw $82,000NC (3:28 ET)
#4 Eye Luv Lulu 7-2
#5 Dugout 5-1
#1 Honor Up 9-5
#3 Celtic Chaos 5-1

Analysis: Eye Luv Lulu set the early fractions and got caught inside the final furlong in a runner up finish last out in the state bred Hudson at 6 1/2 furlongs. His last win came in the slop against open Alw-2 optional claimers here back in January. He has racked up eight wins and four seconds in 19 career trips on off tracks in his career. The Servis trainee owns a solid pace profile throughout and he has done some of his best work here at the Big A where he has landed in the exacta in 7 of 10 outings.

Dugout is coming off career top winning the Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley in his last outing. It was his sixth win in nine career starts for the gelding. This guy started off his career winning his first three starts against state breds including the Funny Cide at the Spa in Aug. of '18. His lone trip on a wet track came in the slop in his debut where he won by 7 1/4 lengths. The Rivelli trainee owns the edge in early and mid pace numbers and the well bred gelding fits in this spot and the 5-1 morning line looks fair.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 1,3,4,5
TRI: 4,5 / 1,3,4,5 / 1,3,4,5,8

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 Bank Gala 15-1
R5: #7 Psychic Energy 10-1
R5: #3 Blue Belt 12-1
R6: #5 Fillibustin 10-1


Good luck today!

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