After a couple of seconds yesterday, we head back to New York to close out their racing week. We look at the featured race at Aqueduct today, the Grade 3 Long island Stakes. Like yesterday’s Red Smith Stakes, the horses go a mile and three-eighths. But today, it’s the fillies and mares going that distance.
Aqueduct Race 8 – Long Island Stakes (Grade 3)
Favored in this field of 11 fillies and mares is the 8 No Show Sammy Jo (7/2 ML). She has progressed nicely in her five-race career winning her last four races. Last time out she won the All Along at Laurel stalking the pace and pulling away in the stretch that day. She has never ran this far, but her pedigree suggests that today’s distance will not be an issue.
If there is a filly that describes my picks lately, it is the 11 Immensitude (5/1 ML). She has been close in each of her last three races, including a tough loss in the Grade 3 Waya last time here at Aqueduct. But she might not have the same trip here today because she goes from an inside post to the far outside today.
The 5 La Mehana (4/1 ML) was the horse that caught Immensitude in the Waya last month here at Aqueduct. She will be further back and trying to close. She’s closed well despite some very slow fractions at Aqueduct this year, not just in the last race here.
The 4 Blush (5/1 ML) faced some of the toughest fillies and mares on the turf at Woodbine last time out in the EP Taylor. She faced Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf Champion Moira in that race and the EP Taylor winner Full Count Felicia in that race in Toronto.
If you saw the Bleacher Brothers show and paid attention to the chat, I made an analogy for Rider’s basketball team. They dropped in class from playing UCLA to San Diego and won against the latter school. Same thing will happen here with this filly who runs in North America for the second time.
Joe’s Pick
I’m tempted to just eat chalk and move on, but I like that despite the short field in the EP Taylor, Blush faced two mares who ran in the Breeders’ Cup. This is definitely not a Breeders’ Cup field today. Let’s take her in a mild upset. I’ll call this 4-8-11-5 with a $20 win wager on the 4. Best of luck everyone and see ya in the winner’s circle!
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