Random Picks

- A few horses that I like today:

- 7th at Aqueduct: The speedy Tough Shipmate makes his first start since April, for trainer Richard Schosberg. But he's won off layoffs of similar length twice before, most recently over this track last March. In that race, he prevailed after battling head and head for the lead much of the way. He may have to shake off Daddy Joe breaking from the outside post here, but not much other apparent speed in here, so he looks like he should be around at the finish line in his first try for a tag. Soulshine moves confidently back up the claiming ladder for the hot Jacobson barn, but has a habit of settling for minor awards.

- 5th at Gulfstream - Lookalike returns to the maiden ranks after a try in an open stakes race. She finished 10th in the Selima, but was beaten by less than eight lengths in a fine field - winner Bsharpsonata returned to win the Trop Park Oaks, and two others have subsequently placed in stakes. 5th place finisher The Cat's Affair won a maiden race here at the Gulf. The Selima was this Matz-trainee's first grass try, but her prior effort on the Keeneland Poly - a race which itself produced two winners, a stakes-placed second, and two thirds - indicates she'll like the grass. Lookalike is a daughter of Dyanaformer, out of a half-sister to Behrens and to the dam of the grassy-stakes winning Cowboy Cal.

- 8th at Gulfstream - Mambo Meister has the ten post at a mile and an eighth. I've noticed that they've barely even written any races for this distance at Gulfstream, perhaps because of the inequity of the route given the close proximity of the starting gate to the first turn. It must be an embarrassment I imagine. Mambo Meister would seem to be a throwout based on his bad luck at the post draw. However, this gelded son of King Cugat appears to have the speed to overcome that handicap, with not much early foot drawn inside. He faded to sixth in his Gulf debut, but note that the race was at the one-turn mile; he's been far more successful around two turns, and his prior such race produced the high Beyer in this field. With a couple of maiden graduates from Zito and the Toddster sure to get bet (either one, if it wins, is sure to be featured in Haskin's next Derby column), this one could present some value at his 6-1 morning line.

- 10th at Fair Grounds - Revenge Is Sweet has improved markedly since stretching out to two turns and adding blinkers. His last was a second to an Asmussen even money favorite. Not thrilled with the rider change, but looks best nonetheless. Asmussen starts King's Silver Son, the morning line favorite. This one has been 5-2 or less in each of his five starts, with four seconds and a 4th to show for all the cash invested. A lot of excuses too, so maybe with a clean trip he gets it done. But I'll use him to complete a cold exacta.

Good luck and have a great MLK Day!