Sunday Morning Notes

Made it to Aqueduct for a few races on Halloween. Absolutely nothing there has changed, not that I should be surprised given NYRA's financial situation and the endless deadlock over the slots parlor there. I've read some of the "Aqueduct ain't so bad" posts that popped up this week, and, as I've been a longtime advocate of the place as you may know, I heartily concur. But seriously, it's time for a change. A place can be a lovable dump for only so long, eventually it just becomes a dump. If the other couple of thousand of regulars would agree, I'd happily kick in 50 bucks to replace the carpeting in the Lexington Room, or the seating in the Manhattan Terrace.

As the racino saga wears on, I can't help but start to come around to the point of view that a group of readers has long been espousing here - that there will never be slots at the Big A, that a racino, and likely a full-fledged Indian casino, will rise at Belmont instead, and the Aqueduct property will soon become a mall and/or more parking for JFK.

- Got distracted by the tote board in the 6th, as I'm sometimes wont to do, and stupidly in this case. Brother Nick, 6-1 morning line and a rare starter for trainer Leon Blusiewicz, was getting pounded at a steady 5-2, and was getting bet on the nose with his show betting lagging far behind percentage-wise. Whatsmore, as post time approached, each time he would start to drift up, he'd get whacked right back down. What can I say, I'm just a sucker for stuff like that, and a sucker I was in this case, especially since I very much liked the eventual winner Groomedforvictory ($10.20). Cashed an exacta as a saver when I should have crushed that race, as Brother Nick did what he really figured to do - shot to the lead and faded, to second to last. I know, I should stop doing crap like that, but I just feel so damn clever when it works out, I can't help myself. Third place finisher Samhoon was haltered by David Jacobsen for the optional 50K claiming tag.

Trainer Dan Pietz did something that Kiaran McLaughlin hasn't been able to do lately on the NYRA circuit - he scored with a first-time starter for Shadwell, when Moojab ($17.80) ran away from the field in the 7th. The last such winner McLaughlin has had here was Taqarub nearly a year ago. Moojab's sire Smarty Jones may be a disappointment at stud thus far, but he is hitting at 19% with his debut runners according to the Form.

- Reader Steve D recommends the Horse Racing Nation site as a Breeders' Cup source, and it's definitely worth checking out. Here's the page for the Mile; even has video for some of the European races, and a lot of worthwhile nuggets if you click the links and delve in further.