Here are a few of my thoughts and insights regarding a select race or races from yesterday's action.
 |
 |
 |
AQUEDUCT 3/7/10 Sunday concluded the race week at Aqueduct and thankfully, there are now only three weeks left of what has been a forgettable winter meet for me. A Girl Named Maria (8-1) was my play in race four. Richard Migliore sent her from the gate, but she could never shake free of, Puddin on the Ritz, and after dueling on the inside of that foe for three and a half furlongs, she willingly threw in the towel. BOTTOM LINE: The race appeared to lack a serious speed horse, so with the blinkers added on Sunday, Migliore wisely attempted to wire the field. The aforementioned, Puddin on the Ritz and Abel Lezcano had the same idea however and never let, A Girl Named Maria, have her way. Puddin on the Ritz actually held on for the win here at 49-1, but was disqualified and placed second for drifting out into second place finisher, Sugar Trade, in the stretch. My next play was, Holy trouble (8-1) in race five. She never got the pace scenario she needed to put in an effective late run and after rating in fifth position early, never threatened. BOTTOM LINE: Favorite, Hot and Bothered, made the lead easily from the gate and was never headed. Her only threat came from, Chippewa Court, who chased her throughout but could never get by. Nothing else in here ever had a chance. On to race six and I liked Katlyn Ann (4-1). She pressed the pace from the outside of, Spancil Hill, before she couldn't stay with her turning for home. Though she was tired at the quarter pole, she stayed on to finish third behind favorite winner, Roaring Ghost and Spancil Hill. BOTTOM LINE: Katlyn Ann obviously wasn't good enough to survive the early pace duel and tired in the stretch. The winner was decent here, but for Katlyn Ann and the rest of them....I would suggest a drop to a state bred, maiden claimer. The ninth race was a soft, state bred maiden claimer that looked like a good spot for something to light up the board and I ended up on Dugout Deputy (32-1). Breaking from the outside and post ten, Dugout Deputy raced out in the ten path with Angel Serpa. She tried to put in a bid on the turn, but she simply was impossibly wide and had no rally in the final quarter. Why Dugout Deputy got the wide trip she did, wasn't entirely due to her outside post and also wasn't totally Serpa's fault. Here's my opinion why: Anyone who played, Warmhearted Sandy, in here has to wonder what the hell her rider, Gabriel Saez was thinking. His decision to stay in the nine path when he could have got over several paths is what led to Dugout Deputy's ridiculously wide trip. Being that Dugout Deputy was running on the outside of Warmhearted Sandy, Serpa never had the chance to get over to save any ground due to Saez's decision to stay out where he was, thus was kept in the ten path. You could say that Serpa could have taken well back at the start and got over on his own and then wouldn't have had to worry about what Saez was thinking. But Serpa had to think that a rider with Saez's experience wasn't going to stay out there if he didn't have to and would get over, which in turn would allow him to get over several paths with Dugout Deputy. It never happened and because of Saez riding like a guy who was riding his first career race, both Warmhearted Sandy and Dugout Deputy never got close to saving any ground. To make matters worse, Saez still got into traffic trouble while extremely wide when he took up on Warmhearted Sandy rounding the turn after running up the heels of the stopping, Gone Home. They then rallied in the stretch to get beat only a few lengths. The only justification for Saez's ride would be if he were told to keep Warmhearted Sandy wide by her trainer Ralph D'Alessandro. And while that's possible, it's not probable. BOTTOM LINE: Warmhearted Sandy should've won this race but got a horrible ride by Saez. The fact that both of these horses had outside post positions wasn't the reason for their wide trips. Saez appeared to never give a thought to getting over to save ground when he clearly had the chance to and his decision left both Warmhearted Sandy and Dugout Deputy hung out hopelessly wide. His ride not only cost his mount, but cost, Dugout Deputy the chance to run her best race. Despite her impossibly wide trip, Dugout Deputy was too only beaten less than four lengths for everything.
Any comments, questions or if you would like to receive one free day of plays on the N.Y.R.A. card, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Thank You. Sunday's claims Race 3- Crafty Mark- David Jacobson Race 4- Well Babe- Gary Contessa Race 5- Chippewa Court- Gary Contessa
|