Saturday Horse Racing Smart Picks
National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along during the week and covers major stakes races on the weekends.
We have a couple of interesting stakes on the menu for Saturday as we attempt to pad our bankroll.
First, we head off to Aqueduct for the $60,000 Busanda Stakes for three-year-old fillies going 1 mile and 70 yards on the inner surface. We are looking at a longshot to take the field gate to wire.
Then we will head to sunny Florida for the $100,000 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A field of twelve will go to the gate in the 1 1/16 mile turf event for four year olds and upward.
It is one of the best wagering races on the day, and again we have a couple of candidates that should go off at decent prices.
Aqueduct Race 8 Busanda Stakes (3:49 ET)
#3 Miss Dartmouth 15/1
#6 Flashing 3/1
#4 Chocolate Pop 4/1
#7 Fitz Just Right 8/1
#3 Miss Dartmouth went gate to wire last out in her third career start to earn her diploma, which was her first go around two turns. She was beaten double digit lengths in her first two starts sprinting but appears to have appreciated the stretch out and is showing improvement in each start. There is not a ton of early speed in here and while she will have to work harder early, she looks attractive here if we see close to the 15/1 ML.
#6 Flashing was a good looking maiden winner in her debut on the mud. She came with a six wide run around the far turn and finished strongly to earn her diploma. The runner up in the race was Mia’s First, who came back to graduate in her next outing on Dec. 28. She figures to move forward with the extra ground as she is bred to run all day. She is by A.P. Indy out of a Machiavellian mare.
#4 Chocolate Pop was a good second last out in the Love Affair Stakes in her first start against winners. The winner of that race was Justwhistledixie, who came back to win the Ruthless Stakes in her next outing on Jan. 4. She looks talented but her pedigree is on the light side to get two turns.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 8/1 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 3,4,6,7
TRI: 3,6 / 3,4,6,7 / 1,3,4,6,7
Gulfstream Park Race 9 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (5:04 ET)
#3 Mambo Meister 6/1
#11 Cherokee Triangle 12/1
#12 Buddy’s Humor 4/1
#7 Silver Tree 3/1
#3 Mambo Meister is light on turf experience compared to most of these, making just his fourth career start on the lawn. However, he looked very sharp winning last out at Calder against third level allowance foes. The runner up and third place finisher in that race both came back to win their next starts. This gelding still appears to have some upside as far as his potential on grass and he should go off at a decent price in this spot.
#11 Cherokee Triangle set a pressured early pace and was weakening when he was forced to steady in tight quarters . He was coming off hard fought efforts two and three back and may have been ready to regress anyway. The colt is in good hands with the Maker barn and this guy is capable of bouncing back here with a better effort at a generous price.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 3,11 / 3,7,11,12
TRI: 3,11 / 3,7,11,12 / 1,3,7,8,11,12
Good luck padding your bankroll today!
