This Saturday, we are at Aqueduct for today’s races. As has become customary for the last few months, we will look at several races on the Aqueduct card. We will look at the three stakes races on the card.
The first stakes race is the Grade 3 Hill Prince on the outer turf. Also on the outer turf will be the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. Then we venture to the inner turf for the Red Smith Stakes.
Aqueduct Race 5 – Hill Prince Stakes (Grade 3)
Our first featured race is the Hill Prince, and we have three-year-olds going a mile and an eighth on the outer turf. Note that the rail is out 24 feet today according to the program.
Favored in this race is the 3 Deterministic (2/1 ML). He has found a home on the turf after dreams of a trip to the Kentucky Derby were dashed in the Wood Memorial. After a win in the Virginia Derby at Colonial, he was outkicked by the favorite in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational going longer here at Aqueduct. He will sit a few lengths off the leaders looking to make a run at the end to win.
The 2 Cugino (5/2 ML) showed little at Kentucky Downs at the end of August. Then again, many great turf horses do not run well there. But Carson’s Run finished second in that race and defeated the favorite last month here at Aqueduct. Cugino will be near the pace or may be on the lead here.
The 4 Main Beach (5/1 ML) faces stakes company for the first time today. He closed to finish fourth at Saratoga at the end of July and returns today. He may need this race, but Chad Brown has great numbers off of the layoff.
The 5 Desvio (12/1 ML) tired in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational last time out but did run well in the Virginia Derby previously. He gets a change in jockey to John Velasquez which should benefit him today.
I’m trying to beat the favorite here with the 2 Cugino. I’ll call this 2-3-4-5 with a $20 win play on the 2.
Aqueduct Race 8 – Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship
We skip ahead to race 8 for the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. We have 12 horse entered, with up to 10 horses running. The 11 Works for Me (12/1 ML) needs a horse to scratch as an also eligible. The 12 Sheriff Bianco (5/1 ML) needs the race to end up on the dirt as a main track only entrant.
Favored amongst the main portion of the field is the 9 Senbei (5/2 ML). He closed well last month at this distance in the Belmont Turf Sprint to win in a fast time despite being very wide. He will look to repeat that performance here today.
The 6 Alogon (9/2 ML) finished third in the same race last month while closer to the pace. He couldn’t get by the leader in the stretch when Senbei passed him on the far outside.
The 7 Implementation (8/1 ML) won at Kentucky Downs back in September in a sprint against allowance company. He has run mostly on the dirt, but has wins in back to back years at that difficult European-style course.
The 3 Twenty Six Black (8/1 ML) closed well to win at this distance in mid-September here at Aqueduct. He will face stakes company for the first time this year and will be a deep closer.
The fact that Implementation wheels back in a stakes race on the grass is a great sign to me. Let’s take a swing at the fences with him today. I’ll call this 7-6-9-3 with a $20 win wager on the 7.
Aqueduct Race 9 – Red Smith Stakes (Grade 2)
Before we get to the race, I do want to mention one thing. Our very first race that I handicapped for Bleacher Brothers was the Red Smith last year on November 11. It shows that I have done this for a while now when the featured races return like today’s race has.
The Red Smith is a mile and three-eighths race on the inner turf course. There is no word if the rail will be out or not, so you might need to check the changes tomorrow morning. But wherever the rail is positioned on the inner turf, we still have nine horses running today.
Favored is the 2 Integration (2/1 ML) who tired at Kentucky Downs in September. He won the Million Preview at Colonial and then just missed in the Million over the summer. This Quality Road colt may have to prove that he can go this far, but he can definitely handle the turf. He will be closing at the end here if he can handle today’s distance.
The 5 Limited Liability (5/1 ML) easily won the Nashville Gold Cup last time out at Kentucky Downs. His best races have come at much longer races this year. Will this race be too short for him today? I doubt he is on the lead here like he was in September.
The 8 Master Piece (5/2 ML) won this race last year closing well but has been stalking in his recent races like the John Henry Turf Classic at Santa Anita. He might even be on the lead here because I don’t see a speed horse here today.
The 1 Curbstone (30/1 ML) almost stole the John Forbes Memorial Stakes at Far Hills last month. He will be at massive odds here again today, but he will be carrying 22 less pounds today. Something to consider here.
I think Limited Liability will be near the front and take over in the stretch. Let’s call this 5-2-8-1 with a $20 win wager on the 5. Best of luck everyone!
Check out my stream “The Joe Quills Show” Monday through Thursday at 9 pm Eastern Time on my Twitch, X and YouTube talking about the latest sports news and whatever comes up. Also, catch my horse racing show every Saturday at 10 am Eastern on the Bleacher Brothers platforms.