New Years Day Horse Racing Picks

Padding Your Bankroll: Friday January 1

The New Year is here and it gets off to a quick start over the three-day weekend starting today, with plenty of stakes action from coast to coast.

Today we will make a stop at Aqueduct for the $65,000 Interborough Handicap, then will hit the left coast for a pair of stakes races on the grass at Santa Anita.

Also today, recently turned three year olds will take center stage in the Tropical Park Derby (G3), a race Barbaro won in 2006 to start his three-year-old campaign.

The race was not run last year due to budget cuts at Calder, but is back this year and drew a full field of twelve three year olds.

On Saturday, we might see a few more promising three year olds in the Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct.

Among the previous winners of the six furlong sprint was Smarty Jones, who won the race in 2004.

Gulfstream Park opens on Sunday, with the meeting running until April 24. The opening day feature is the Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) for four year olds and upward going a mile on the main track.

Sure, there are plenty of bowl games this weekend, but don’t forget there is plenty of racing action from coast to coast.

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Our first stop is the Big A:

Aqueduct Race 3 Interborough Handicap (Post time 1:24 ET)

#1 Distorted Passion
#2 East Breaks
#5 Awesome Ashley
#3 Casanova Killer

#1 Distorted Passion is going to be the short priced favorite in this compact field, but the five-year-old mare appears to be sitting on a good effort here in her third start off the bench for the Todd Pletcher barn. Last out in the Garland O Roses the mare stalked the early pace from the inside, angled to the outside in the stretch, got the front just insider the final furlong and weakened late. It was her first trip over a sloppy surface and the inside did not seem to be the place to be that day. She landed in the exacta in her four previous starts on the inner including a pair of stakes wins. She will be tough here at a light price.

#2 East Breaks went gate to wire to beat Alw-2 company last out at Penn National. She is stepping into the toughest spot of her career here but she owns solid early pace numbers and her best shot might be if Dominguez can shake loose early. She seldom runs a bad one and should be a decent price in this spot.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 7/5 or better.
EX: 1,2 / 1,2,5
TRI: no play

Santa Anita Race 3 Blue Norther Stakes (Post time 1:02 PT)

#4 Jet Blue Girl
#6 In the Slips
#5 Forbidden Paradise
#7 Glory Pride

#4 Jet Blue Girl is an interesting longshot here, making her stakes debut and her turf debut, as well as her first start around two turns. Last out going six furlongs on the fake stuff at Hollywood Park, the filly was off a step slow, tracked the early pace and came up the rail to finish up well for the runner up spot behind a loose on the lead gate to wire winner. Her pedigree is on the light side for her turf debut, but she still appears to have plenty of upside potential and figures to be a decent price. She is getting six pounds form our second choice.

#6 In the Slips is the one to beat and will likely be a very short price. Last out in her U.S. debut she made a good late run to finish in the runner up spot in the Miesque (G3). There looks like there is plenty of early zip in here to set things up for her and she is the lone runner in here that has beaten winners, taking a couple of handicaps before arriving in the U.S. She is going to be very tough to beat here but she figures to go off at even money or less.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 4/1 or better.
EX: 4,6 / 4,5,6,7
TRI: 4,6 / 4,5,6,7 / 1,4,5,6,7

Santa Anita Race 9 Sensational Star Handicap (Post time 4:08 PT)

#6 Compari
#5 Enriched
#2 Feisty Suances
#7 Shadow of  Illinois

#6 Compari returned off a eight-month layoff with a smart looking win last out versus Alw-1 company, his third win in a row. Two back the gelding won the Cal bred Snow Chief going nine furlongs. The Marty Jones runner is two for two on grass and broke his maiden over the turf here. The gelding figures to move forward in his second start off the bench and Gomez sticks.

#5 Enriched pressed the early pace, took over the lead and could not match strides late with #8 Live Sundays going 7 ½ furlongs on the Cushion Track. The O’Neill barn claimed this guy for $32K four back where he beat Alw-2 optional claimers over the turf here. The gelding returns to the turf, has won 3 of 7 on the lawn, and I like the cut back in distance to 6 ½ furlongs.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 2/1 or better.
EX: 5,6 / 2,5,6,7
TRI: 5,6 / 2,5,6,7 / 2,5,6,7,8

Good luck padding your bankroll today!

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