Horse-Thorn Plays

Aqueduct Race 7:

Pretty Partisan: Silver. A very positive trainer change into a hot barn. A very positive jockey change to a hot hand. A strong HT number indicates a solid WP bet.

Cool N’ Collective was the prime HT play yesterday and he won the final race at Aqueduct handily. The exacta missed as Prince Benjamin ran 4th second off the claim on the drop.

Today, we have one HT race at Tampa, the eighth.

Bodgiteer: Bronze. Second off the claim for McBride. His HT number holds up in this race.

Aqueduct Race 9:

The cheapest claiming tag available in New York. We won’t find Man O’ War in here but we do find two HT horses.

Cool N Collective: Bronze. This gelding was a strange claim last out for Bruce Levine. He’s 10 years old and never been over the inner track. But he picks up a very positive trainer change and a new rider. The inner surface could wake him up for the exacta.

Prince Benjamin: Bronze. Second off the claim for a very hot barn. The last race was a very good one against higher claimers. You can’t fault this one in the exacta box with the top horse.

Good Morning. Yesterday we had a second and a first on the HT blog. Perhaps, today will be better.

Aqueduct Race 2:

Wakeup With Makeup; Silver

She goes from Wiggans to Dutrow and changes jocks, tracks and distances. This one should be a winner.

Aqueduct Race 9:

Fight On: Silver

This one changes hands to Parisella who can do well on the inner. Blinkers go on. East Coast move. Lots to like.

Aqueduct Race 1:

Lightning Stripes: Bronze

Stripes is second off the claim for Contessa. This HT horse hit first out and wheels back in a low level claimer. I would use this one in the exacta with Forgotten Cat with Tony Dutrow. Dominquez chooses him and his one trip over the inner track was a good one. Use Sideways Glance for third.

Tampa Race 9:

Ladyinblue: Silver

Ladyinblue is first off the claim for Dale Bennett. Switches from dirt to turf. Changes jockeys and stretches out to a route. Solid HT number in here.

Aqueduct Race 7:
Karakorum Patriot: Silver

The Aqueduct seventh finds a Horse-Thorn runner. Karakorum Patriot is second off the claim for Hushion and his HT number stands up again for this race. He’s A Lumberjack may improve a bit here as well and run second to him once again.

Tampa Race 7:
Ecru Egret: Silver

Ecru transfers from Motion to Scace. Changes jockeys and Cotto is riding lights out. Changes tracks and goes dirt to turf, HT numbers say this is the one. The horses to beat in here are Tonka Cruz, a classy horse from Churchill and First Exchange who is an Exchange Rate baby seeing the grass for the first time.

The Big A is on a short holiday break and Tampa just opened so there isn’t much opportunity for HT picks until things resume following Christmas. Check back from time to time. We might not get an HT horses for the next 10 days but you never know!

Well yesterday we had HT plays in four races. Taking the top plays you still returned a profit even though only one hit. As I said at the very beginning, my figures show that if you were to take each race and play the top choice that over time you would return about a 20% profit. Not bad for no thought!

Today’s HT plays:

Aqueduct Race 7:

Precise Alloy - Gold

Levine’s horse is second off the switchover from Sadler. He gets a new set of blinkers and cuts back a furlong. This gelding has the serious zip needed for his first visit to the Aqueduct inner dirt.

Fairgrounds Race 5:

Cabett – Silver

Amoss claimed last out from Barnett. A switch of jock and track leads us to the window despite the raise in claiming price.

Tampa Bay Downs Race 11:

Fast Market –Gold

Fast Market is a recent claim for Orseno from Scott Lake. He changes jocks and racetracks. He has plenty of speed and should air here.

Yesterday’s fifth race at Aqueduct was sweet. Seeking The Glory looked good on the track and was sitting fat on the board at 9/2. He got up just in time and proved the HT numbers right…..again. I happened to play him hard in there myself. When I get a price like that on an HT horse that shows he can go 9 and change on the inner track and no one else has been close to that over the surface…I have to play.

Today let’s look at some HT numbers.

Aqueduct Race 1:
#3 Alittlemorereaction – Bronze.

First off the claim for Rene Araya. He loses weight for race and likes this surface. He might not get the job done against Jodif depending on how the surface is playing.

Aqueduct Race 2:
Quahada – Silver.

First off the claim for Levine. Steps up in class for a second straight race.

Aqueduct Race 3:
#2 Lunar Rendezvous - Bronze.
#5 Just Starting – Silver

Just Starting is first time off the claim for Anthony Dutrow. He gets Dominguez and changes tracks. Lots to like here. Lunar Rendezvous is second off claim for Contessa. Moves to Coa and switches to a sprint. Both are going to have to conend with Chunk Of Love a nice runner for Hushion.

Aqueduct Race 9:
#9 Lightning Stripes – Bronze

Contessa claimed him from Hills. Moves to Dominguez and finds the inner track, a surface he has won over. This is a wide open race.

Aqueduct Race 5:

Seeking The Glory: Silver.

Schwartz claims him from Contessa. Martin to Arroyo. Long to short. This looks like a nice play but he is going to have to beat the current Contessa runner Whistlin’. Might make most sense as an exacta box.