Horse Racing News and Notes, Thursday, December 21, 2017

At the Gate - Thursday
December 19, 2017
By Mike Dempsey
VegasInsider.com

After a three day break we are back in action at Aqueduct today and we have a $99,703 Pick 6 carryover. The wager was not solved over the weekend thanks to a couple of bombs in the stakes races that paid $77 and $81.

It is very doubtful that the Pick 6 goes unsolved again on Thursday, as the six-race sequence looks hittable with several short fields.

The Pick 6 starts with the third race which drew a compact field of five with the two likely favorites Land Mine (8-5) and Literata (2-1) looking like to two most logical winners.

The fourth race is a restricted $25,000 claimer which drew seven including Bobby On Fleek (8-5) who makes his first start since June. The colt is stakes placed and makes his first start for trainer Rudy Rodriguez.

The fifth race is a $16,000 claimer for non-winners of two and it drew a field of seven. The Chad Brown trained Corey Q is the 2-1 morning line favorite while Votre Coeur (4-1) is worth a good look.

A field of eight lines up for the sixth race, which is a $16,000 claimer for fillies and mares going one mile on the main track. Arewehavingfunyet is the 2-1 morning line favorite.

The seventh race is a first level state bred allowance race which drew six led by Satin Sheets (9-5) and Bree’s Got Heart (2-1).

The finale might be the toughest of them all. The $40,000 maiden claimer drew a field of 11, the biggest field in the Pick 6 sequence.

C K Dexter Haven is the 5-2 morning line favorite making his local debut for the George Weaver barn while Blinded Vision (3-1) drops back in for a tag for the red hot Gary Gullo barn.

To purchase my Aqueduct Report for Thursday click here.

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

AQU Race 1 Alw $50,000s (12:50 ET)
#4 Midnight Disguise 2-1
#5 Dream Fever 6-1
#2 Right On 7-2
#6 Tarawa 5-1

Analysis: Midnight Disguise was a sharp maiden winner last out in her debut, drawing away to win by 6 1/2 lengths as the betting favorite in a field of six against state bred $50,000 foes going a mile. She wheels back quick with just a six-day break, but she catches a below average group here for the Rice barn that has been on a roll at the meeting, hitting at a 28% clip. She owns the top last out speed fig and showed enough tactical speed in her debut she should be able to handle the cut back to six furlongs.

Dream Fever went gate to wire to beat $40,000 maidens last out in her third career start. She was claimed out of the race by the Cox barn that is 37% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. She is going to need to move forward off her debut win to compete here but seems likely to do so for a sharp outfit.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 2,4,5
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 8 Md $40,000 (4:17 ET)
#2 Blinded Vision 3-1
#6 C K Dexter Haven 5-2
#1 I'm a Ocala Dude 5-1
#11 Big Thicket 6-1

Analysis: Blinded Vision drops back in for a tag for his third career start here for the Gullo barn that has been on fire at the meeting. The colt was a game second in his debut for a $50,000 tag and last out off a two month break he dueled or the early lead and weakened to finish sixth against maiden special weight foes as the beaten favorite. He owns solid early and mid pace numbers and likely gets the jump on our second choice as they head for home. He is out of a Crafty Prospector mare that has dropped one winner.

C K Dexter Haven has run second in each of his three starts, the last pair as the beaten chalk in Florida. He goes from Pletcher to Weaver and drops in for a tag for the first time. Last out he tracked thee early pace and was no match for the winner late while 2 1/2 lengths clear of the third-place finisher Titichip, who came back to graduate in his next outing on Dec. 8 at Gulfstream Park for a $50,000 tag. He is the first foal to race out of a Curlin mare.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,6 / 1,2,6,11
TRI: 2,6 / 1,2,6,11 / 1,2,6,8,11

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
R2: #1 Seathisquick 15-1
R7: #4 Pupareee 8-1

Good luck today!