Rainy Days

- I haven’t looked much at tomorrow’s races at Aqueduct because it’s supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow, so I don’t know if the track will be sloppy or not. Tom Ainslie once wrote that if the weather is rainy, find something else to do. Though he made an exception for extremely rainy days that turn the track speed favoring, I tend to stay away if it’s wet, with the exception of Belmont day or the like. I just don’t like betting on wet tracks, period. Harvey Pack, who people in New York remember, as well, perhaps as those of you who recall when he hosted the NYRA telecasts, used to, at Saratoga when it rained, launch into this whole spiel, the same thing every time, about how the day was basically going to suck, and I couldn’t agree more. Of course, nowadays, because of simulcasting, rain doesn’t necessarily keep me away from the track. Tomorrow though, checking the National Weather Service website while I still can, it looks like the Big A won’t be the only track affected by the weather. Keeneland looks more like light rain, so hopefully the Lexington will be run on a fast, if not completely dry track.

Byron King of the Racing Form must have some time on his hands because he did some detailed research on the recent history of the race. In making a case for Going Wild, he points out that Scrimshaw went from a Beyer Speed Figure of 75 to a 101 in the 2003 Lexington, Proud Citizen jumped from an Beyer Figure of 81 to a 95, and Charismatic went from a 94 to a 105. [Daily Racing Form] Going Wild had a 51 in the Wood, so he will presumably have to double that to win here; whatsmore, he faces a daunting pace scenario. As does Rockport Harbor for that matter, with the quick Actxecutive and Coin Silver breaking from the inside posts. It will be interesting to see what he and Stewart Elliot do in the early stages.

- There are two graded stakes at the Big A. Bank Audit seems to have his opponents at his mercy in the G3 Bed O’Roses at a mile; at least if the track isn’t sloppy, otherwise who knows? If the G3 Fort Marcy stays on the turf, BC Turf winner Better Talk Now could be vulnerable at 1 1/16 miles. Remind has come off the shelf well for Bill Mott with two nice tries in Florida; he missed by just a head in a G3 at Monmouth last spring and could be tough here. If it’s on the turf.