4/10: Aqueduct ($66k C/O)

[Kasept]

Curious day Saturday with the obviously disappointing performance of Uncle Mo the focus of nearly everyone. From my perspective, we can go back to the Timely Writer discussion and the lack of 'bottom generating' effort it produced, to help explain the 2yo Champion tiring visably over the late stages of the Wood. In the artificial stake exercise at Gulfstream, Uncle Mo only ran a quarter mile with seriously relish, and that was followed up with two half mile breezes. If Todd Pletcher believed that kind of lead up was going to be enough to have Uncle Mo ready for the colt's first 9f try, he will know better for the next time the situation arises.

Then again, he might not given the Pletcher playbook that invariably relies on these kinds of maintainance drills instead of long slow gallops or stouter wind-generating 5-7f works. The Repole Team now find themselves forced to play catch up with Uncle Mo, and perhaps they still have enough to work with to be the kind of factor in the Classics that has been anticipated since the Breeders' Cup. But their confidence must certainly been shaken, and the veneer on Uncle Mo, undeniably outstanding as a Juvenile, is dulled considerably.

On a lovely spring afternoon, the day leading up to the Wood was delightful fun at Aqueduct with a robust crowd jammed into the truncated, under-construction facility. The stakes winners in the Comely, Bay Shore and Carter were popular, with a variety of connections getting moments in the sun. David Fawkes (Hot Summer), Bill Anderson (JJ's Lucky Train) and Nick Zito assistant Tim Poole (Morning Line) legged up Luis Saez, Jose Ferrer and John Velasquez on the heroine and heroes, and all three races authored stories that will be fun to relate on "At the Races" this week. That brought us to the feature, and Graham Motion, breeder-owner Diane Cotter and Eddie Castro were another set of principals whose success produced warm reaction.

Elsewhere on the Derby Trail scene , Bob Baffert continued his general wizardry, getting Arnie Zetcher's maiden winner Midnight Interlude home in the final jump over dogged Comma to the Top. With The Factor in good position going into Saturday's Arkansas Derby and Jaycito pausing for the Lexington, the Triple Crown-focused Hall of Famer appears ready for a three-pronged assault on Louisville. Pletcher's day wasn't a total loss, as Ahmed Zayat's Joe Vann finally fulfilled some of his promise winning the marginalized Illinois Derby. The colt is not Triple Crown nominated, and it would cost Zayat an additional $20,000 with his $180,000 check from Hawthorne to gain possible Derby entry.

Could not produce a P4 winner Saturday, but had some solid opinions that netted some exotic hits and P3's. Hope you did OK! Nice carryover into Sunday's Aqueduct card...


AQUEDUCT


POST-SCRATCHES


4th: MDN CLM, 3+, 1m-T (P6, P3, DD)

$66k P6 Carrover Starts Here..

Most Likely: #6 Mach Twelve 7-5 2nd
Best Value: #7 Completely Bear 5-1 6th
Next Best: #1 Upper Afleet 3-1 WON ($8.50)


5th: NY-MDN CLM, 3+, 6.5f (G/S, P3, DD, Super)

Nagging issue is what you do with the conspicuous Dutrow plummeter Kincsem Noi?

Best Value: #6 Judy's Warrior 6-1 3rd
Next Best: #2 Sully's Landing 5-2 -
Exotics Use: #9 Disco Capote 4-1 WON ($9.80)
Super Add: #4 Allen's Affair 10-1 5th


6th: NY-ALW/N1X, F&M-3+, 6.5f (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Sneaky good race with a trainer change surface switcher in Torrone, a last out big fig jump MDN winner stretching out in Silver Over Gold, a positive rider upgrade with 'DaSilva off' on Irish Lady, a distance turnback in Fortheloveof Anna, and more..

Best Value: #3 Irish Lady 5-1 3rd
Next Best: #1 Torrone 2-1 -
Exotics Use: #6 Silver Over Gold 3-1 2nd
Super Add: #7 Fortheloveof Anna 10-1 WON ($7.00)


7th: NY-MSW, 3+, 1m-T (P3, DD)

Best Value: #2 (POE) Komisarek 10-1 5th/7th
Next Best: #1 Knock Quietly 7-2 2nd
Exotics Use: #7 Carbon Copy 5-2 WON ($5.80)

8th: NY-Packett's Landing, 3yo, 1m (DD, Super)

Most Likely: #1 Dr Disco 7-5 3rd
Best Value: #7 Tap Attack 10-1 2nd
Next Best: #2 Bold Deed 8-5 WON ($5.60)
Super Add: #4 SCR

9th: CLM, F&M-3+, 1m-T (Super)

Best Value: #1 Queen of Protocol 5-1 WON ($8.10)
Next Best: #4 Sugar Trade 4-1 -
Exotics Use: #6 SCR
Super Add: #8 Risky Gamble 8-1 4th


<$200 P5 P6 Play:

4: 1-6-7
5: 2-6
6: 1-3-6-7
7: 1-2
8: 1
9: 1-4

3x2x4x2x1x2 = 96 x $2 = $192


<$75 P4 Play:

6: 1-3-6-7
7: 1-2-7
8: 1
9: 1-2-4-6-8-9

4x3x1x6 = $72


Good luck!
Steve