Aqueduct Saturday

In the second at the Big A on Saturday, Cary Again (6-1) tries to bounce back from a troubled NY and two-turn debut for Pletcher. The Toddster is going great guns these days; four winners and two seconds from his nine here, and six out of his last ten at Gulfstream (with a winner at Santa Anita on Wednesday thrown in too)! This horse is a Stonerside-bred and thus Darley-owned half-brother, by the ubiquitous Unbridled's Song, to the multiple G1 winner Congaree, standing at Adena for $10,000. Cary Again stumbled just a bit at the start, but was in tight quarters all the way home from the 3/8ths. Winner Haitian Sensation subsequently ran a good second against winners; third place Weekend Action finished third, also against winners. There would seem to be room for tons of upside here...though I rather doubt we'll see 6-1. You might have noticed that I often land on the horses who end up getting bet if not having their picture taken. That means that not only do I pick losers, but overbet ones at that.

Buddy's Song (6-1) also encountered some trouble when making his first two turn try last time out; he steadied quite sharply on the first turn, and ran evenly afterwards for Levine, in a mini-slump at 1 for 14. Flat Bold is listed as the 2-1 morning line favorite, and I'm not getting that one. (And he's also the consensus best bet in the Form!) Perhaps the oddsmaker is just anticipating a large West Point contingent on a Saturday. This son of the AP Indy sire Flatter has run only in two sprints on the Cushion Track at Hollywood; and not much pedigree there either. He's a bet-against on principle should he be favored here.

I Want Revenge is another making his dirt debut, in the Gotham, but I quite like this one, as indicated in this post. I would, however, be more comfortable at 4-1 or higher than his 3-1 morning line. That's a possibility I think, as Mr. Fantasy (7-2) and Haynesfield (5-1)....and possibly even the buzz horse Imperial Council (5-2)....may be bet lower than their morning odds. The latter is a horse I could really get excited about. If the patient Shug is cranking him up early with an eye on the classics, then there must be a good reason. By Empire Maker, he's out of a minor stakes winning Thunder Gulch mare; and this is the family of The Pamplemousse (they have the same third dam) as well as the G1 winner Marlin. But he also is a bet-against on principle as the favorite here making his two-turn debut. I can always jump on the bandwagon later on.