It looks like another tough card with a lot of competitive races.

Race 1

I say this far too much, but this is about as bad a race as any track could assemble.

• 3 Oohlala – has the best dirt figures in the field, but does not look unbeatable. Puts the blinkers on for Tony Dutrow, Last out she lost all chance at the break but still managed to close lengths to finish 4th. Best race was on a sloppy track at this distance.
• 2 Truly Possible – plodder puts the the blinkers on today and perhaps that will bring out some speed. Simply the second best of a truly dismal bunch.
• 4 Wesdrewmax – May inherit the lead in a group where no horse has a 1 anywhere in her past performance. That’s enough to give her a nod.

Race 2

• 1 Mop Head – Claimed by Grusmark last out for $25K and d rops to half that price today. He won his last despite getting bumped out of the gate in a pretty good time for this class. Given that race was a month and a half ago I’d like to have seen more than one mediocre work almost four weeks ago. He’ll likely be overbet today, but has a  legitimate shot.
• 4 Say Mr. Sandman – Englehart brings the horse back to AQU after a quick trip upstate to FL. Half of his inner dirt starts have been in the money. Is essentially moving up in price since most of his previous starts have been with state breds, but his figures say competitive. Trainer is 23% off the layoff.
• 5 Western Tryst – With the scratch of Island Sunset this RuRod trainee may be right on the lead. He won a statebred NW1X on the inner last season and shifted to the turf for the summer. He switched back to the dirt and caught two wet tracks, a surface that doen’t bring out his best. RuRod has to break out of the slump eventually.

Race 3

• 6 Abra – looks to be far and away the speed in this field, although in his last he never really got int the race. Was good on the inner last season. Drops his tag in half and that should help him on the front end.
• 7 Night Patrol – Ran a fair race in the slop last out. Won at $25K as recently as October 30. Jumped up to a $25K starter allowance but given the slop and the fact that it was second off a layoff, the fair effort can be excused. Has four of nine wins lifetime and Jose Ortiz solidifies his case.
• 1 Bemata – Jacobson trainee finished a good second first off the claim  but last out never got going and finished well back. Return to his last AQU race puts him in the mix.

Race 4

• 6 Regal Strike – Charles Cannon has had only one other AQU starter and that was a winner. He’s an 11% trainer overall mainly on the NJ/PA circuit. Certainly fits the level and has raced with better in 2014. A couple of December workouts should have him ready.
• 1 Artemus Paperboy – three wins in a row, the last at a distance he hadn’t been. Comes back at the route today. Should be in the same tracking position. Jacobson seems to keep his runners in shape, but not all of them can come back in 8 days. Still, you ignore him at your own peril.
• 4 Le Deluge – will be coming in the stretch. Patrick Quick is a very low profile trainer but he picked this one up from Jacobson, who in turn picked the horse up from Chad Brown. It’s possible the horse won’t revert to previous form under Quick’s care, but if he does he’s competitive.

Race 5

• 2 The Spotted Wonder – scratched out of a race yesterday to go in this one. Has been the distance once before, although on a sloppy track. A bit concerning that he hasn’t won in seven starts this year but has been close enough to give him a nod here.
• 6 Futurazo – one of the pressers in this field but should have no issue with the distance. Had 15 starts in 2014 which is quite a few, but has been off a month so should be ready to roll.
• 9 Hidden Warrior – Fleet footed runner is one of a few who should contest the lead. Ran a good one at this level last out. Took until his seventh start to break his maiden, mainly because he is a little sketchy in the stretch. The stretch to the mile and a sixteenth is of concern, but he has been competitive all year.

Race 6

This is another tough early season three year old race. My top three selections are 6-1-5. Instructor Kuno has three figures that are better than any other figure in the race. Calvin Borel comes in to ride and despite the fact he is not the rider he once was that is a positive sign. Money Multiplier is a first time starter for Chad Brown. Brown and Carmouche are an amazing 58% as a team. Lookin At Lucky has been strong with first timers as a new sire. The workout patter is solid and the last work is impressive. On Tap is one of the second time starters. He ran well going half a furlong farther last out and while he is ultimately more suited to the route, the last race should have given him some necessary experience. There are some other horses that could be considered. Balfe’s Corner has been working well for Contessa, although he is only 8% with first timers. May be better suited for the route down the road. Little Love is a Linda Rice first timer with a lot of stamina building works. Sold for six times his stud fee. Would be a lot more dangerous on a wet track. Madroos adds blinkers today after improving in his second start. Upset minded for Kieran McLaughlin.

Race 7

Update: the scratches of the 7 and 1 change the race for me. Both those horses figured to be in the battle up front, Their absence will give an advantage to Be Bullish and The Big Deluxe and may take away the advantage Mine Over Matter had if a speed duel developed. This race just became a lot less discernible. I’ll stay with Laila’s Jazz and perhas go deeper if I play the horizontals.

• 7 Leroy Jr. – Chad Brown and Franco team up for this race. Seems to enjoy the fast dirt. Nice series of workouts in December and competitive figures. Lots of speed to contend with and that may compromise his chances.
• 6 Laila’s Jazz – was involved in the unfortunate accident in his last race but apparently has come out of it in good shape given the quick work on December 26. Had a good 2014 and has a win on the inner.
• 10 Mine Over Matter – Always hard to trust a plodder, but other than his last has been running in nothing but stakes races. Mike Hushion gets Irad to take the ride and considering he only had two races this year certainly has room for improvement.

Race 8

• 9 El Kabeir – Three straight graded stakes, the last a win the Kentucky Juvenile. Calvin Borel takes the mount off his winning ride in that race. Nice set of works in December and should be ready for this one. The outside post shouldn’t be of much concern – he should sprint to the front.
• 7 Akeret – tries a route for the first time off a really quick sprint victory at Parx. RuRod has been ice cold lately but he and Irad are 24%. Maybe better suited for the sprint but worth taking a shot today.
• 4 Ostrolenka – faltered badly in the Remsen but prior to that was strong in state-bred races. Gets a big test today but with Pletcher and the red-hot Jose Ortiz he’s in the mix.

Race 9

• 1 Ghost Ship – first out should have been a good learning race. Tracked in 4th, didn’t pass any horses, but didn’t get passed either. By far the fastest figure of the horses that have started.
• 7 Yourthekingjimmy – first time starter for Shettino who is a fair 17% with firsters. Love the workout pattern. A fast work early in the sequence, and a fast work last time with some stamina building in between. Irad Ortiz takes the ride.
• 6 Private Thrill – showed a lot of early foot first time out. That race was on the mud, and he really doesn’t have great wet track breeding, but he was right on the pace to the stretch and faded a little over six lengths. A little bit of improvement and a fast track make him a contender in this race.