Saturday’s Picks from Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park

We have some good betting action on Saturday along with a couple of competitive stakes races at Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park as we try to pad our Christmas shopping bankroll.

Aqueduct is taking a nine day break for Christmas so we have today and tomorrow’s card to pick up a little extra cash.

I got knocked out of both of my Pick 5’s at the Big A on Friday, but we still managed to take down a couple of good exactas.

My top two picks in the third race combined for a $91.00 exacta. They both went off at 6-1 as did every horse in the field except for the 4-5 favorite. Not something we see every day.

My second choice Pinky Dude ($21.40) got the job done in the seven race and along with my fourth choice combined for a $189.20 exacta.

The feature this afternoon at Aqueduct is the $100,000 Queen’s County which drew a field of seven that will go 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

Mirinaque was a multiple G1 winner in Argentina and while he is 0 for 3 since coming to the U.S. he makes his first start for trainer Wesley Ward today.

There are two stakes on the Gulfstream Park card today—the $100,000 Via Borghese and the $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3).

My Best Plays Report for Saturday includes my eight strongest plays from Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park including all of the stakes action.

You can stream the action from Aqueduct today on YouTube or by using the TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. is offering a 50% deposit match up to $250 .

To purchase my Best Plays Report for Saturday 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 second race (the opener is chalky) from Aqueduct to get the day off to a good start:

AQUEDUCT RACE 2 ANALYSIS (12:20 P.M. ET)

Race 2 Md Sp Wt

  • #1 Pleasure Luck 8-1
  • #5 Blame It On Mary 5-2
  • #7 Get the Candy 4-1
  • #10 Shesadirtydancer 8-1

Analysis: Pleasure Luck makes her first start since her debut back in June where she stalked the early pace and made a mild late bid to finish third, sent off at 7-1 in a field of eight. The winner Make Mischief ran second in her next three starts including a G2 and a G3. Good works on the morning tab for the Hennig barn that is 13% winners with runners coming back off a +180-day layoff. The $50,000 purchase is the first foal to race out of an Awesome Again mare.

Blame It On Mary is back with maidens after two tries in stakes company against state breds. She was fourth last out in the NY Breeders Futurity in the slop and third beaten a neck two back in the Lady Finger. She owns solid early and mid pace numbers and will appreciate returning to the maiden ranks. A logical threat here as the likely short priced favorite.

AQUEDUCT RACE 9 ANALYSIS (3:45 P.M. ET)

Race 9 The Queen's County

  • #2 Mirinaque 4-1
  • #5 Musical Heart 9-5
  • #4 Backsideofthemoon 8-5
  • #6 Forewarned 8-1

Analysis: Mirinaque makes his first start here for the Ward barn and is coming off a solid runner up finish in a 14-horse field in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) going 1 5/8 miles at Keeneland. The colt was beaten double digit lengths in his first two starts in the U.S. facing much tougher. He is a two-time G1 winner in Argentina. He is cutting back to nine furlongs and Ward has had this guy working in company with Four Wheel Drive and figures to show more early zip here for the new barn. The trainer is 30% winners with newcomers to the barn. He won at six and seven furlongs in his native country and won a G1 at a mile.

Musical Heart was beaten just a neck last out against Alw-2 optional claimers by our third choice in here. They were 5 1/4 lengths clear of the rest of the field. Atras claimed this guy back for $62,500 last out after losing him three back for just $32,000. He earned a career top two back for Donk in a runner up finish in the mud. The gelding won at nine furlongs three back beating $32,000 claimers back in August. The barn is 27% winners first off the claim. He comes in here in the best form of his career.

Backsideofthemoon beat Musical Heart last out which was his first start off the claim by the RRod barn who took him for $62,500 two back out of a runner up finish to Empty Tomb. The gelding ran fourth in this race last year, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. He owns a solid pace profile throughout and has done some of his best running over the Big A main track. Can't get too excited about backing him for the top spot near his 8-5 morning line.

GULFSTREAM PARK RACE 9 ANALYSIS (4:12 P.M. ET)

Race 9 The Via Borghese

  • #2 Traipsing 7-2
  • #3 Court Return 6-1
  • #8 Always Shopping 5-2
  • #9 Great Island 3-1

Analysis: Traipsing set the early fractions and got clear heading for home but was run down late and had to settle for the runner up spot in the Long Island (G3) over good ground at 1 3/8 miles. The Clement trainee earned a career top speed fig in the effort which was her second try in stakes company. She cuts back in distance here to 1 3/16 miles and there is not much early speed signed up to go here. If Junior can get away with a moderate opening half mile this gal is going to be tough.

Court Return returns off a two-month break after nearly pulling off a 41-1 upset in the E.P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine. She came with a good late rally and missed by just a neck. She had run third in the Canadian (G2) two back at 30-1. Saez picks up the call here and the price is going to be lighter but she looks like a player here and the 6-1 morning line looks fair enough.

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 Icanceeclearlynow 12-1
  • R2: #1 Pleasure Luck 8-1
  • R2: #10 Shesadirtydancer 8-1
  • R3: #3 Princess Corey 8-1
  • R6: #12 Inter Miami 15-1
  • R6: #7 Montauk Traffic 8-1
  • R7: #3 Preamble 12-1
  • R10: #4 Almendro 15-1

Good luck today!


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