Aqueduct April 8 | Halvey on Horseracing

Race 1

2 Mineralogy
1 Myakka River
6 Lucullan
Secondary (3)
Minerology has two good races on the inner under his belt and takes the blinkers off today. He looks like the best speed. Myakka River obviously didn’t get out of the gate well but he closed steadily and with a better break today should be a contender. Should be able to get a good stalking position since the horses outside of him should be winging. The two first time starters, Lucullan and Britain both could be in the picture here.

Race 2

1/1A Tricked Up/Puissant
10 Spin Cycle
3 Runaway Posse
Secondary (5, 7)
In the case the race goes off the turf, the MTOs Vicente and Brimstone are the horses to beat.

Race 3

3 Wild About Deb
7 Moon Over a Beauty
6 Speightstown Time
Secondary (1, 4)
Wild About Deb goes first time for David Jacobson, and was a fair stakes runner last year. Not overwhelming speed here, so if DJ has him in shape he looks best in the field. Moon Over a Beauty had trouble at the start last out but has shown good speed in his other starts. He looks like he has come back to the races more mature and could be the upsetter.

Race 4

6 Cerise’s Prince
8 Strong Side
4 Focus Group
Secondary (12)
This race has a lot of possibilities, so I’m looking to take a chance on a longshot. Cerise’s Prince has had two starts where he has had plenty of trouble and tries the turf for the first time. I think the figures he earned make him better than looks, he should love the distance, and has fair turf breeding. Strong Side has lately had a case of seconditis but has shown decent ability in his turf starts. Focus Group is one of the few horses with turf experience and has the great turf trainer Chad Brown in his corner. That’s enough for me to include him, although I’m not excited about the odds. If the race goes to the main and Outplay draws in, he will be the choice.

Race 5

Race 6

5 Theory
2 Even Thunder
4 Long Haul Bay
Secondary (1, 3, 6)
I don’t think there could be a surprise winner in this renewal of the Bay Shore. Theory may be a solid favorite and given the company he kept as a two-year old he probably deserves it. Pletcher is very good and getting horses ready off the layoff and he has a positive workout pattern. Even Thunder will be long odds but may be the one to pick up the pieces if the race breaks down in the stretch. Long Haul Bay comes off a nice maiden win and looks to make his step-up to the stakes ranks successful.

Race 7

6 Bourbon Empire
5 Ransom Note
2 Cause for Surprise
Secondary (3, 10)
Bourbon Empire is an easy horse to miss in this field, but should be the value. In his first race he won going away, but in his three races since he had nothing but trouble. Now maybe he’s one of those horses that creates his own troubles, but I’m going to bank that he can stay trouble free, and if he does, he’s got a big chance to win. Ransome Note looked good in three races on the inner, and adds blinkers today in an effort to focus his speed. That can make him dangerous today.

Race 8

7 Doyouknowsomething
2 Send It In
6 Admiral Blue
Secondary (4)
While Send It In looks very strong in this spot – he’s a 50% winner – I’m looking seriously at Doyouknowsomething who should be able to set his own pace. He’s won before at the distance. I won’t go nuts, but if you’re looking to bet something other than the favorite, he’s worth a look.

Race 9

Race 10

8 Irish War Cry
7 Cloud Computing
2 Mo Town
Secondary (3, 5)
This edition of the Wood Memorial features a lot of horses that prefer to run toward the front. Irish War Cry threw in an inexplicable clunker in the Fountain of Youth. I believe the fact that he is starting in the Wood means Graham Motion got him straightened out and ready to run the way he showed he could in his first three starts. Perhaps if he gets pushed too hard he’ll fold again, and in that case Cloud Computing looks like a horse that looks like he could be a budding star. He looked good in the Gotham in only his second lifetime start, and may turn out to be decent value.

Race 11

5 Miss Sky Warrior
1 Yorkiepoo Princess
2 Full House
Secondary (4, 8, 9)
Miss Sky Warrior is riding a four race win streak including two over the AQU main. She’s looked strong in graded events and looks very tough to beat today. Yorkiepoo Princess could be on the bottom of a decently paying exacta. She’s on a three race win streak of her own and should be in a good spot in the run to the wire.

Race 12

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