0-for-1 on Saturday, with GOLDEN FLASH leading for a half-mile @ 5/1 odds but tiring to finish off the board.
Aqueduct – Race 4
#4 HOMETOWN (9/5 ml)
Part of an uncoupled Chad Brown entry, this colt had worked a half-dozen times in a row with the well-regarded KURAMATA prior to that one’s sharp maiden win @ Tampa Bay a few weeks ago (you may remember our selection NEWSWORTHY ran second @ 13/1 for a nice exacta). HOMETOWN followed up that series with a best-of-58 bullet from the gate where he was clearly best over the maiden REALM OF LAW (beaten two lengths by Belmont Futurity winner SECOND OF JULY in his only start last year). Also worth noting that HOMETOWN is a private purchase (was in the Brisset barn last summer) and will be making his first start for Brown today, as was also the case with winning workmate KURAMATA. Expecting a solid effort here.
Gulfstream – Race 6
#7 ZURI (4/1 ml)
Bill Mott firster comes in with a very nice series of drills, working with stakes winner ANNEX at Saratoga last year before getting to Payson Park and reeling off 5 consecutive drills with OLYMPIAD, who was last seen winning at Saratoga on Sep 5 (7 furlongs in 1:22.78). Followed that up by working from the gate with WORLD TOUR, who won for us @ 4/1 odds on Feb 18. ZURI also appeared to work on Feb 13 with ANOTHER WOMAN, who ran second for us @ 15/1 odds behind heavy favorite PASS THE CHAMPAGNE on Feb 27. Figures to run well here with go-to rider Junior Alvarado in the irons.
I should also mention the Ian Wilkes longshot APART OF MY CHARM (15/1 ml), who worked twice in late December with MISCHIEFFUL, who ran second for us @ 7/1 odds in his Feb 7 debut, then returned to win gate-to-wire second time out last Sunday. Following those drills, APART OF MY CHARM then worked 5 times in a row with MINT EDITION, an older barnmate who emerged from those drills to run second @ 26/1 odds (under today’s rider Leparoux) on Mar 4. Appears well-meant today.
ThoroBredPicks record:
Win record: 28-for-106 (26% winners)
Total mutuels: $241.70 ($8.63 average win price)
