I’m not wild about the inner track at Aqueduct, but there are two solid races worth checking out on Friday.
The first race I looked at is race 3 which is an open maiden special weight event for three-year-olds and upward. The distance is 8.5 furlongs, or 1 mile and 1/16 of a mile. This is going to be a great betting race as the probable favorite looks like a classic “play against” type.
I’m talking about the gelding Megaholtz. The five-year-old is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez. He is winless in 12 starts and couldn’t win for a $35k tag last out. I see no reason to believe he will win moving up in class today. Some will over read the fact that Dominguez stayed on and he will catch a lot of action.
My top selection is Magnificent Moon. This will be his second try going two turns. He was second in his third start last out, beaten by the Grade 2 placed Nacho Saint at a distance of just over a mile. Before that he was third behind a winner whose name I cannot recognize. That horse returned to win. I do remember the runner up, a colt named The Fed Eased. He was the easiest of winners in his next race. Look for Magnificant Moon to sit a nice trip behind the speed and pounce for the win late in the race.
The other race we like is race 8 which is a second level optional claiming event. It looks like the rail horse, Dominant Jeannes will hook up with Writingonthewall in a speed duel. This should set things up for 6 time winner Marilyn’s Guy. The gelding was last seen scoring from off the pace to beat the stakes horse Understatement. Kiaran McLaughlin has him working well. He fired a 1/27 :47 4/5 four furlong move on the 16th of this month. Marilyn’s Guy has got a big shot as our top pick.
