Sunday’s Picks from Aqueduct and Sam Houston

Despite the fact I spelled him Greatest Honor, the Shug McGaughey trained Greatest Honour was a very impressive winner of the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park as my top pick.

He rolled to a 5 ¾ length win and returned $7.60. I did not use runner up Tarantino who went off at 26-1, while the betting favorite Prime Factor was a disappointing third at 6-5.

The Robert B. Lewis (G3) was the other Road to the Kentucky Derby points race and the Bob Baffert trained Medina Spirit was sent off as the even money favorite.

The colt set the early fractions and looked like he would get caught, with my top pick Roman Centurian bearing down on him in the stretch at 11-1 along with Hot Rod Charlie.

Medina Spirit managed to hold on by a neck as my second choice and the $2 exacta returned $27.80. We would have preferred it come out the other way, the $2 exacta would have paid $64 and we missed out on a $24 winner.

The Houston Racing Festival is this afternoon at Sam Houston Race Park so I thought we would head out to Texas for some stakes action. There are six stakes on the card, and I covered five of them in today’s Best Plays Report.

The races drew a large and competitive field including a dozen going in the $200,000 John B. Connally (G3) and the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile.

“America’s Day at the Races“ is on FS2 from 2:00 to 6:00 ET. You can also 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.

My Best Plays Report for Sunday includes my nine strongest plays from Aqueduct and Sam Houston.

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

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Here is the opening race 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 Inspiration Point 4-1
  • #2 Al's Prince 7-5
  • #6 Iron Pearls 15-1
  • #1 The Reds 5-2

Analysis: Inspiration Point gets the call in the opener and a case could be made for any of the six in here. Our top pick was sent off as the chalk in his debut here going six furlongs and failed to fire in a fifth-place finish for Pletcher. He stretched out to a mile last out and was dismissed at 11-1, setting the early fractions while down along a dead rail and weakening to finish third. He returns with blinkers added and he has enough pedigree to handle nine furlongs. He is by California Chrome out of a Unbridled's Song mare and was a $725,000 Ocala purchase.

Al's Prince exits the same race as our top pick, and he was down along the inside early before angling out four wide and rallying for the runner up spot. He caught the slop in his debut two back where he made a mild late run to finish fourth. he adds blinkers and should be able to handle the added ground. He is the first foal to race out of a Bellamy Road mare.

AQUEDUCT RACE 7 ANALYSIS (3:20 P.M. ET)

Race 7 OClm $40,000N2X

  • #7 Elegant Zip 8-1
  • #5 Miss Jimmy 9-5
  • #2 Baby Boss 3-1
  • #1 Ruvies in Time 5-2

Analysis: Elegant Zip tracked the early pace while down along a deep rail, shot through to take over the lead and drew clear to win by 4 1/4 lengths over $35,000 non-winners of three last out off a 2 1/2-month break. Her previous five trips came on turf, but she has shown she is much better on the main track. She is back in with state breds here and she is stakes placed on dirt. She looks capable of moving forward off her last effort and the 8-1 morning line looks fair enough.

Miss Jimmy stalked the early pace form the outside and made a mild late rally to finish third, just missing the place spot by a nose to our third choice in here. She caught a racing strip that was playing to inside speed that day. She was beaten just 3/4 of a length two back at this level at 6-5 and three back ran second behind repeat winner Letmetakethiscall who won her next two starts beating open Alw-1 and Alw-2 company. She looks tough here for Toscano but is going to be a light price.

SAM HOUSTON RACE 7 ANALYSIS (5:00 P.M. CT)

Race 7 The Texas Turf Mile

  • #5 Fighting Force 3-1
  • #11 Winfromwithin 7-2
  • #3 Excess Magic 9-2
  • #1 Palazzi 6-1

Analysis: Fighting Force tracked the early pace and could not get to the loose on the lead gate to wire winner in a runner up finish in the Dania Beach last out in his first go against winners. The winner Kentucky Pharoah came back to run a disappointing fifth in yesterday's Kitten's Joy at Gulfstream Park. Pletcher adds lasix on this guy and he looks as if he still has some upside.

Winfromwithin is also sent out by Pletcher. The colt broke his maiden last out at Gulfstream Park off a four-month layoff last out, breaking form the 12 post and taking the field gate to wire. It was another 8 1/2 lengths back to the third-place finisher. The trainer through enough of this guy to run hi in the With Anticipation in the slop in a race taken off the turf two back while still a maiden. He showed he could handle turf last out and has enough tactical speed to overcome the outside draw.

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: #6 Iron Pearls 15-1
  • R2: #2 Micromillion 12-1
  • R4: #3 Kith 8-1
  • R6: #5 My Delicious 8-1
  • R7: #7 Elegant Zip 8-1

Good luck today!