AQUEDUCT – 1/16/22
RACE 1: 4-7-5-6
#4 FAZARO was off to a poor start on debut for trainer Kelly Breen and wound up making a brief middle move before flattening out late. He should improve with that race behind him and now gets treated with Lasix for the first time. Expect him to have more speed with a cleaner break.
RACE 2: 5-4-3-6
In a super competitive race on paper, #5 CINDERELLA’S CAUSE looks to get the best trip from just off the pace for Chad Summers. She has been competitive against NY Bred allowance foes of late on wet tracks and the return to a dryer strip will help. You’ll get a square price here to boot given how contentious this race seems.
RACE 3: 7-5-4
Trainer Juan Vazquez has had a heck of a run this winter and now starts #7 BABA off a claim. This daughter of Uncle Mo draws favorably on the outside and can stalk and pounce in a race that looks to have a significant amount of speed. The form she’s rounding into of late is strong enough to make her a solid favorite.
RACE 4: 5-2-6-1
The potential pace edge of #5 TEMPERMENTAL is enough to give that one the nod here as she should be loose on the lead. The favorite is quite formidable and there’s reason to use both on any multi-race play. The improvement shown by this Jeremiah Englehart trainee at second asking is notable.
RACE 5: 3-6-7-8
#3 ROYAL REALM is a likely heavy favorite for trainer Rick Schosberg as he moves back in for a tag following two solid efforts against starter allowance foes off the claim. He has the perfect running style for this affair and has actually improved since being claimed. All signs point to him being a heavy favorite and likely winner.
RACE 6: 5-3-6
This looks like a real opportunity for #5 SECRET RULES to sneak away from this field on the front end with the 10 lb bug jockey aboard. He hasn’t been seen since early May when he got involved in a hot pace against top notch competition at Belmont. This is a perfect spot for the layoff return given the way the race figures to unfold.
RACE 7: 8-9-3-1
#8 PLAYWRIGHT makes the most sense in a very competitive race on paper. He is a one-run closer who needs pace help, and he should get it today given the way this race shapes up. He enters off an improved race and is clearly at his best at the one-turn mile.
RACE 8: 5-2-6
#5 MISS LESLIE ships in from Maryland in search of a stakes win and is in amazing form at the moment. She has rattled off two straight stakes wins and now meets a field she looks considerably better than on paper. There’s enough speed among her five rivals to set up her strong late run to boot.
RACE 9: 9-5-1-10
#9 RESILIENT COURAGE was given an atrocious ride the last time he tried dirt and he now returns off a break for David Donk as a new gelding. The best dirt race he ran at Saratoga last summer makes him a major contender here and it came against much tougher competition.
