Horse Racing Report, Fridayy, December 8th, 2017

At the Gate - Friday
December 7, 2017
By Mike Dempsey
VegasInsider.com
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On Saturday we have a pair of Grade 1 races at Los Alamitos—the $300,000 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity and the $300,000 Starlet, but they both drew puny fields of five and it is going to be tough to find much value.

It has been tough this week at Aqueduct as well, with a few short fields and just eight races per day run the past few days.

On Saturday the feature is the $100,000 Garland of Roses which drew a field of seven fillies and mares that will go six furlongs on the main track.

It is a pretty competitive race with Quezon the 9-5 morning line favorite. The Robert Ribaudo trainee was third in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) and second in the state bred Iroquois in her last pair of outings. She has landed in the exacta in 11 of her 16 career starts.

Her main foes will be Iroquois winner Absatootly (5-1), recent Alw-2 winner Ms Locust Point (3-1) and Picco Uno (4-1) who is better than her fifth-place finish in the Iroquois in her last start.

We have an eight-race card on tap this afternoon at the Big A. There are a few races where it looks tough to get past the chalk including in the opener where Lady Constance is listed at 3-5 on the morning line.

Combined with I Miss My Father (1-1) in the second race, the early double and the Pick 5 may get off to a very chalky start..

Here is the opening race from Aqueduct to get the day off to a good start:

AQU Race 1 Clm $14,000N3L (12:50 ET)
#2 Lady Constance 3-5
#5 Iwishirish 5-2
#1 Mary Pray for Us 6-1
#6 Over My Head 20-1

Analysis: Lady Constance prompted the early pace and weakened to finish fifth last out against $35,000 non-winners of three. She was claimed out of the race by the Rice barn that is 30% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. She is jammed in here for just $14,000 off a 2 1/2 month break. She catches a really soft group and she should be on the lead or sitting second early on. She is going to get the day off to a chalky start.

Iwishirish made a good late rally to get up and beat $16,000 non-winners of two last out in her first start off the claim by the Diodoro barn. She was claimed two back for $16,000 where she faded to finish a well beaten ninth. She is back on track for a sharp outfit that is on a roll at the meeting, hitting at a 30% clip. Completes a puny exacta.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 4-5 or better.
EX: 2,5 / 1,2,5
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 7 OClm $40,000N2X (3:47 ET)
#1 D'funnything 2-1
#7 Psychic Energy 3-1
#8 The Crocheron Kid 6-1
#10 Tiz a Chance 8-1

Analysis: D'funnything returns off a 2 1/2 month break at the same level after winning in gate to wire fashion last out going six furlongs at Belmont Park. This guy was good on dirt and has run really well in his two turf starts. The Baker barn is 21% winners with runners coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. He draws the rail and there is plenty of early speed signed up here, but he looks capable of winning right back and seldom run a bad won, winning half of his 16 career starts.

Psychic Energy steps up a notch after a sharp win last out against state bred Alw-1 foes over the grass here. The Rice trainee steps up a notch in class but looks headed in the right direction form wise. She earned a career top last out and will likely need to repeat that or move forward slightly to get the job done in this spot. She will get a good tracking trip behind what should be a lively pace.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 1,7 / 1,7,8,10
TRI: 1,7 / 1,7,8,10 / 1,2,7,8,10

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Aqueduct
R1: #6 Over My Head 20-1
R2: #6 Croatia 12-1
R2: #4 Classi Cat 20-1
R3: #6 Majestic Bloom 8-1
R4: #3 Beach Access 8-1
R7: #10 Tiz a Chance 8-1