By Joe Quillen
Aqueduct – Comely Stakes Picks
Saturday’s Race of the Day brings us back to Ozone Park, NY as I will be taking a look at Aqueduct’s 9th race, as three-year-old fillies will be going a mile and an eighth over what I expect to be optimal fast conditions. Post time is approximately 3:43 pm ET for the eight fillies entered.
First, I do want to note that there are horses that are cross entered at different tracks. This happens from time to time, and the Daily Racing Form is very good at telling you where else a horse has a potential of running.
A filly that is cross entered for the Comely is the 5 Corningstone, who is entered for the 9th race on Friday’s card at Churchill Downs, an allowance race going a mile and a sixteenth. I’m guessing she might run there as opposed to running at Aqueduct. By the time you read this, we will know on Friday morning if this horse will be in New York or in Kentucky.
Also cross entered for Saturday is #6 Warrior’s Ransom who is cross entered for the 7th race at Laurel on Saturday. Personally, I think she might be better suited for that 7-furlong stakes race as opposed to the race I am looking at here for Saturday at Aqueduct.
When I look at this race, there does not appear to be much speed here. I’m guessing the 1 Ichiban goes for the lead here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the 8 Raging Sea, the 5/2 morning line favorite, the 7 Defining Purpose (3/1 ML odds), the 3 Honor D Lady (6/1 ML odds) and the 4 Just Katherine (9/2 ML odds) are all close together going around the track.
Just Katherine is the filly that I think will win Saturday, as she will bounce back from a effort that is worth a toss on a horrible weather day at Parx in the Grade 1 Cotillion. She’s worth of a shot here, and I am hoping that if either the 5 or 6 are scratched (or both), it still floats this 4 up higher than the 9/2 morning line.
The 8 Raging Sea should be there at the end just like her last race at Keeneland last month, and don’t sleep on the 3 Honor D Lady who stalked three wide and won last time out in the Remington Park Oaks in September at Remington Park. I’ll go 4-8-3 here in the Comely, and my play for Saturday is a $10 win wager on the 4. Good luck everyone and be on the lookout for my Sunday pick at a track yet to be determined.
