Sunday’s Picks from Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park

I thought we would catch a decent price on Casa Creed, my top pick in yesterday’s feature, the $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3) but it was not meant to be.

The 2-1 morning line favorite Analysis It was scratched, and Casa Creed was bet down to the 2-1 second choice.

Things were looking up as he has the lead in the stretch but lost a tough battle to my second choice (after the scratch of the favorite) Ride a Comet, who prevailed by a half-length and returned $6.20. The $2 exacta paid a decent $22.40.

Sunday’s feature at Aqueduct is the $100,000 Rego Park, a 6 ½ furlong test for New York bred three-year-olds that drew a field of eight.

The Todd Pletcher trained Uno was an impressive maiden winner in his debut and is the 2-1 morning line favorite. Pletcher will also saddle Storm Shooter (8-1) and Perfect Munnings (4-1).

I am going to attempt to beat him with Blue Gator (5-2), winner of the New York Breeders Futurity and the runner up in the state bred Notebook in his last outing. The colt is one of three in the race sent out by trainer Mike Maker.

Maker also saddles Lookin for Trouble (6-1) and Windy Nations (8-1).

My Best Plays for Sunday includes my eight strongest plays from Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park.

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 .  In addition, AmWager is offering up to a $500 bonus for new horseplayers.

To purchase my Aqueduct and Best Plays Reports for Sunday click here .

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

AQUEDUCT RACE 1 ANALYSIS (12:20 P.M. ET)

Race 1 Md Sp Wt

  • #3 O'Gotten Girl 9-5
  • #2 Mo Desserts 4-1
  • #4 Dealing Justice 7-5
  • #5 Quick Talker 8-1

Analysis: O'Gotten Girl makes her first start on a fast main track here, three of her outings coming on turf and once in the slop. Last out she set the early fractions on turf before weakening to finish third as the beaten favorite. She makes her third start since landing with Pletcher and pedigree wise she seems more suited to dirt. She is by Competitive Edge out of an Indian Charlie mare who has dropped two other runners, both winners. The barn is 22% winners moving runners from turf to dirt.

Mo Desserts is a $300,000 purchase making her debut for the Jerkens barn that is 9% winners with first timers. She is by Nyquist out of a Dynaformer mare that has dropped six foals to race with five winners, including stakes winner Catrageous ($97,560) and stakes placed Ketel Twist ($192,477) and Cool ($87,200). She is working well including a bullet drill out of the gate on Dec. 30. She looks ready to go and Lezcano picks up the call.

GULFSTREAM PARK RACE 7 ANALYSIS (3:11 P.M. ET)

Race 7 Md Sp Wt

  • #1 First Hour 7-2
  • #12 Simply the Best 4-1
  • #8 Speeding 3-1
  • #4 Zaffing 6-1

Analysis: First Hour debuts for the Pletcher barn that is 19% winners with first timers. Here at this meet the trainer is 5 for 16 (with a +ROI) with first timers. This gal was a $250,000 Keeneland purchase, by Speightstown out of a Honour and Glory are that has dropped nine foals to race with eight winners including one turf winner and two stakes winners, top earner G2 winner Justwhistledixie ($448,427). Solid works at Palm Beach Downs and she looks ready to go at first asking.

Simply the Best returns off a three-month break and ships down from New York for the Gargan barn that has been very live at the meeting, hitting at a 43% clip. This filly was fifth in her debut going long and improved second out with a third-place finish at six furlongs. She chased a solid pace and finisher evenly in that outing. The barn is 26% winners with runners coming back off a 61-180-day break. She is a half to three winners including G3 turf winner Guns Loaded ($507,540).

AQUEDUCT RACE 8 ANALYSIS (3:50 P.M. ET)

Race 8 The Rego Park

  • #4 Blue Gator 5-2
  • #8 Perfect Munnings 4-1
  • #3 Uno 2-1
  • #7 Lookin for Trouble 6-1

Analysis: Blue Gator chased the early pace while wide down the backstretch, angled in and took over the lead in upper stretch and could not go with the winner late in a runner up finish in the state bred Notebook last out. The winner was Eagle Orb, who came back to run second in the Jerome in his next outing on New Year's Day. Our top pick broke his maiden in his debut at Belmont Park and then was much the best winning the New York Breeders Futurity at Finger Lakes in his first start against winners, drawing off to win by 4 1/2 lengths. The Maker trainee owns solid early and mid pace numbers and Carmouche sticks.

Perfect Munnings is one of three in here sent out by the Pletcher barn. The colt was sent off at 5-2 in a field of 10 in his debut going six furlongs on turf. The colt tracked the early pace, was caught in some traffic approaching the quarterpole, kicked in when clear and drew away to win by two lengths. The runner up Dancing Buck returned to break his maiden in his next outing on Dec. 31 here. The barn is 22% winners moving runners from turf to dirt. The colt has handled dirt in the mornings and is by Munnings out of a Medaglia d'Oro mare and should be able to handle it in the afternoon.

Uno was a good looking maiden winner in his debut in the mud here on Nov. 12. He tracked the early pace, took over the lead heading for home and drew clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths. He only had to beat four and three have come back to lose again. The $255,000 Ocala purchase is by Laoban out of a Henny Hughes mare, her first foal to race. A solid figure in his debut but the 2-1 morning line seems light.

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: #5 Quick Talker 8-1
  • R3: #1 Fair Regis 12-1
  • R6: #3 Dublinornothin 8-1
  • R9: #3 Women Not Easy 8-1

Good luck today!