On Saturday, Aqueduct Park will host its signature race and the final stop on the New York road to the Kentucky Derby. A field of eight 3-year-olds will do battle in the $750,000, Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes. A total of 170 Derby qualifying points are on the line, with the Winner receiving 100 points, the runner-up getting 40, the 3rd-place finisher earning 20, and the 4th-place … Continue reading The Wood Memorial
The Derby door of opportunity is still ajar, but time is running out. There are three major preps this Saturday each offering 100 points to the Winning horse, which virtually locks down a spot in the gate on May 7th. Here then, the big three this weekend: THE WOOD MEMORIAL STAKES New York’s premier Kentucky Derby prep race is contested at 1 1/8 miles (9 … Continue reading Three Big Preps On Saturday
There are no Derby prep races this weekend. But, the 100-40-20-10 point preps are at hand- eight races compressed into 15 days, beginning next Saturday (03/26). As long as they are eligible (aka not Baffert horses), the Winners are mathematically assured of berths in the starting gate in the Run For The Roses. The 2nd-place horses have a good shot at getting there as well. … Continue reading Where The Winners Prep
When aspiring jockeys dream of Winning races it’s usually marquee events like the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes that top the list. But Brooklyn-native Richard Migliore had his heart set on Winning the Toboggan Handicap, which will celebrate its 129th edition, this weekend at Aqueduct Racetrack. Migliore, 57, was a multiple Grade 1-Winning jockey with 4,450 career Victories and earnings in excess of $160 million … Continue reading The Mig
Poplar jockey Manuel Franco tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and will remain off his mounts until Sunday, January 9th, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday. All members of the NYRA jockey colony are vaccinated and adhere to established protocols. In addition, the jockey quarters at Aqueduct have been substantially altered to provide maximum physical distancing and reduce density. Franco is best remembered for … Continue reading Covid Scratches Jockey
The calendar says the last day of fall is December 20th. But for many racing fans, the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Park on Saturday marks the end of the autumn racing season. The one-mile contest is traditionally the final Grade 1 race of the year in New York, and brings together some of the country’s top middle distance horses. The race is the final contest on … Continue reading Who Wins The Cigar ?
The transformation of CIGAR from a horse that showed modest turf ability to one that developed into a legend on dirt illustrates how critical a trainer’s role can be. The son of PALACE MALICE went unraced at 2 before Winning two of nine starts the following season for his first trainer, Alex Hassinger Jr. He finished his 3-year-old campaign with earnings of $89,175 but was unable to … Continue reading Give That Man A Cigar
One main attraction to Superfectas (besides low cost) is that the Superfecta probable payout pool is not displayed, making this bet an unknown endeavor relative to an Exacta. However, if you observe the pool results over a long period of time, you will come to realize the favorites tend to be over bet in the pool and when outsiders come in especially in the top … Continue reading A Couple Of Aqueduct Superfectas
The New York Racing Association and America’s Best Racing have announced an extension of their partnership through 2023. Accordingly, America’s Best Racing will continue as a presenting sponsor of both America’s Day at the Races and Saratoga Live. America’s Best Racing, created in 2012 as The Jockey Club’s multimedia fan-development and awareness-building platform, began its partnership with NYRA and FOX Sports in 2019. “America’s Best … Continue reading NYRA Television Deal
One year ago Aqueduct Racetrack was closed due to the pandemic and no one knew if, or when, there would be a 2020 Triple Crown. The mood was considerably different Saturday when the Grade 2 Wood Memorial returned after a one-year hiatus. Yes, there were masks affixed and vaccine cards were a badge of honor. But in the paddock at the Big A, life was back to … Continue reading Big Wood…Upset
