Thursday’s Picks from Aqueduct Park

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

Entries are out for Saturday’s big day at Gulfstream Park highlighted by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) which drew a full field of 12 that will travel 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

Knicks Go, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. The Brad Cox trainee was perfect in three starts last year. He beat Alw-2 optional claimers in February at Oaklawn Park then beat Alw-3 optional claimers at Keeneland before his win on Breeders’ Cup Day.

His main foes appear to be Code of Honor (9-2), who was second in the Clark Handicap (G1) and Tax (5-1) who won the Harlan’s Holiday (G3).

There are seven stakes on the card including the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1). The race drew a full field of 12 led by the Todd Pletcher trained Colonel Liam, the 7-2 morning line favorite.

The colt has won three of his five career starts, taking the Tropical Park Derby in his last start.

Coming up tomorrow the Road to the Kentucky Derby through Oaklawn Park gets underway. The opening day feature is the $150,000 Smarty Jones with 10-4-2-1 Derby points up for grabs.

I will break down the race with my selections in tomorrow’s column.

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 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 from Aqueduct to get the day off to a good start:

AQUEDUCT RACE 1 ANALYSIS (12:50 P.M. ET)

Race 1 Md $25,000 (12:50 ET)

• #8 Afleeting Glance 2-1
• #3 Sweet Sneak 9-5
• #2 Love That Face 8-1
• #1 Central Capital 15-1

Analysis: Afleeting Glance was outrun early in the mud when dropping back in for a tag and made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot. The filly caught a racing strip that was playing to inside speed. That effort was against open $20,000 foes and she is back with state breds here. She showed little in her first three career starts on turf and was competitive on dirt at Finger Lakes in her next three starts. The Englehart trainee should be able to move forward off her last effort and catches a pretty weak looking group of New York breds here.

Sweet Sneak was bumped coming out of the gate last out going six furlongs in the slop. She came with a mild late rally to finish fourth last out, beaten 2 3/4 lengths for the top spot at this level. She stretches out to a mile here and was a good second at this distance two back in the mud in a race taken off the turf. The Weaver trainee is a logical threat here is she runs back to her effort two back. She is out of a Forest Wildcat mare that has dropped one other foals to race, no winners to date.

AQUEDUCT RACE 6 ANALYSIS (3:20 P.M. ET)

Race 6 Clm $25,000 (3:20 ET)

• #7 Charlie McCoy 8-1
• #1 Just Right 7-2
• #4 The Caretaker 4-1
• #2 Big Mountain 5-1

Analysis: Charlie McCoy prompted the early pace and faded to finish eighth last out against Alw-1 company. he is back in with state breds and was a decent third two back versus Alw-2 optional claimers, beaten a length. He makes his third start off the bench and looks well spotted with the class drop. He has one career trip at a mile and that was a gate to wire score back in April of '19 versus state bred Alw-2 optional claimers.

Just Right tracked the early pace and weakened to finish fifth last out at this level. The gelding won for this tag two back by a neck while in the care of Pletcher. He goes today for the Atras barn that is 31% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. The gelding has won 3 of his 6 trips over the main track here and has run well in all three starts at a mile.

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: #2 Love That Face 8-1
• R1: #1 Central Capital 15-1
• R3: #7 Fleet Irish 15-1
• R4: #5 Manifest Destiny 8-1
• R6: #7 Charlie McCoy 8-1

Good luck today!

VegasInsider Staff

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