Sunday, December 19, 2021
RACE 1:
3 STORMY PATTERN is stretching out to 6 ½ furlongs
after proving no match for a runaway winner in his 6-
furlong debut. Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr, 25%
with maidens making their 2nd start, has Chantal
Sutherland in the irons again. 8 MARKHAMIAN, now
in the Juan C Avila barn, the son of Social Inclusion
makes his first start since coming within a head of
winning his career debut vs state-bred special weight
runners back in September. Marcos Meneses rides.
4 AGARRMESIPUEDES is stretching out an additional
furlong after stepping up the competition and finishing
a late closing 2nd vs state-bred special weight foes
going 5 ½ furlongs. Luis Duco keeps it light with
apprentice Franklin Calles in the irons.
SELECTIONS: 3-8-4
RACE 2:
2 HEART OF GOD has her claiming tag cut in half, and
debuts on the Tapeta, after showing speed and tiring
when facing $20,000 conditioned claimers going 6
furlongs on the Belmont main track. Trainer Peter
Walder has Emisael Jaramillo in the saddle.
5 NOBLE INTENTIONS is a late-running daughter of
Noble Mission who should be there to reap the spoils if
Heart of God does another swan dive during the stretch
run. Antonio Sano has Ronney Betancourt named to
ride. 4 FOXY LADY is another who needs to find a
little more firepower for the stretch run after stalking the
pace and fading late at this level and distance. Trainer
Ron Spatz has Chantal in the saddle again.
SELECTIONS: 2-5-4
RACE 3:
6 EVELYN is a daughter of Distorted Humor making
her career debut in an ideal spot for a first-time starter
to succeed. Trainer Juan Alvarado has the Arindel
homebred working well over the Gulfstream main track.
1 TESTIMONIAL, in for the $50,000 tag in this maiden
optional claimer, is making her first start since start
since finishing 3rd vs maiden special weight company
about 22 months ago. Trainer Kelly Breen, 18% with
extended layoffs, has Paco Lopez handling the return.
3 FRANKLY MY DEAR is going back to the main track
after returning from the layoff to finish a troubled
starting 2nd vs maiden special weight competition going
5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta. Trainer Garry Lee has
Rajiv Maragh in the saddle.
SELECTIONS: 6-1-3
RACE 4:
1 SOVEREIGN OF SPEED is dropping to the $35,000
level, and stretching out to a mile, after showing some
ability when sprinting on the grass at Keeneland and
Arlington. The recent gelding, bred to respond
favorably to the added distance, will have Junior
Alvarado in the saddle. 4 GRAND SIR, a half-brother
to Pegasus World Cup Turf winner Colonel Liam, drops
into the maiden claiming ranks on the grass - with
blinkers added - after failing to show much vs special
weight runners going a mile and 70-yards on the
Tapeta. Victor Barboza Jr has Jose Morelos handling
the surface switch. 5 MACHO TIME is a son of Mucho
Macho Man debuting for trainer Kathy Ritvo in a perfect
spot for a first-time starter to succeed. The colt, bred
on both sides of the family tree to love the turf, will have
Luca Panici in the saddle.
SELECTIONS: 1-4-5
RACE 5:
4 BRIGHT DEVIL is going back to the turf (8-2-0-1)
after responding to a dropdown in competition with a
well-meant 2nd vs $35,000 starter optional claimers
going a mile and 70-yards on the Tapeta. Trainer Mark
Casse has Edwin Gonzalez handling the surface
change. 12 SAND DANCER drops into this $35,000
conditioned claimer after tracking the pace and
finishing a workman-like 4th vs $80,000 optional
claimers going 9 furlongs on the Belmont turf. Trainer
Tim Hills has Romero Maragh handling the tough
outside draw. 2 BORU, 6 for 8 ‘in the money’ at the
distance, albeit with only one victory, stretches out
again after closing to get beat a neck vs $25,000 open-
claimers going 6 furlongs on the Aqueduct turf. Kelly
Breen has Tyler Gaffalione handling the added
distance.
SELECTIONS: 4-12-2
RACE 6:
1 GREATITUDE, a $230,000 daughter of Dialed In,
debuts locally, and breaks from the rail again, after
setting the pace and getting caught late when finishing
3rd – beaten a neck – in her 7-furlong debut on a muddy
Aqueduct main track. Trainer Todd Pletcher has John
Velazquez in the saddle again. 5 BERAVINA is
stretching out to seven-eighths of a mile after rallying
4-wide to finish a promising 2nd in her 5 ½-furlong debut
at Churchill. Trainer Brian Lynch has Julien Leparoux
handling the added real estate. 3 FRIENDSHIP ROAD
is a daughter of Quality Road debuting for trainer Shug
McGaughey with a string of stamina tweaking workouts
showing in preparation for her first start. The barn, 15%
with first-time starters, has Tyler Gaffalione in the
saddle.
SELECTIONS: 1-5-3
RACE 7:
5 MADAME CLAUDE, the only multiple winner in the
field, drops a notch after dueling throughout and
holding sway to defeat $25,000 claimers going 6
furlongs on a sealed sloppy track last out. Antonio
Sano has Tyler Gaffalione named to ride.
1 HANNITA’S EMPIRE, another from Antonio Sano,
the daughter of Uncle Vinny (Uncle Mo) steps up to
face winners after drawing clear to defeat $12,500
maidens by 9 ½ lengths. Junior Alvarado rides.
3 DEL REY DOLLY is dropping to the $20,000 level,
and adding blinkers, after facing tougher with limited
success since breaking her maiden at the $25,000
level. Mark Casse has Edwin Gonzalez handling the
dropdown.
SELECTIONS: 5-1-3
RACE 8:
2 LUCAS N’ LORI, now in the Bill Tharrenos barn, the
gelding debuts locally, and cuts back to a mile and 70-
yards, after posting consecutive victories on the
Woodbine Tapeta, including his last at 10 furlongs. Top
Canadian jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson is named to
ride. 4 DIGITAL FOOTPRINT is stepping up the
competition after rallying to finish 2nd – beaten a neck
– vs $12,500 dated claimers at the distance. Trainer
Mike Maker has Emisael Jaramillo at the controls.
1 EMOJI GUY moves to the Bobby Dibona barn via the
claim after rallying to defeat $12,500 claimers at this
distance on the Tapeta. The barn, 21% with new
claims, has Chantal Sutherland going for 2 in a row.
SELECTIONS: 2-4-1
RACE 9:
4 NOBLE INDY is making his first start since setting a
pressured pace and finishing 3rd in $75,000 Mr Steele,
a race that’s produced a trio of next-out winners since
it was run on July 17. Saffie Joseph Jr has John
Velazquez named to ride. 9 BEMMA’S BOY is making
his first start since defeating Pegasus World Cup Turf
winner Zulu Alpha in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Pan
American in March 2020. The gelding returns for Mike
Maker with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons.
12 MIRA MISSION, now in the Ian Wilkes barn, the
gelding makes his first start since defeating a pair of
next-out winners in an $80,000 optional claimer going
9 furlongs on the Saratoga turf. Julien Leparoux rides.
3 FLYING SCOTSMAN, listed as a gelding, makes his
first start since setting the pace and weakening to finish
6th in the Grade 2 Dinner Party at Pimlico during
Preakness Weekend. The gelded son of English
Channel, who is 4 for 8 at the distance, has Corey
Lanerie in the irons.
SELECTIONS: 4-9-12-3
RACE 10:
9 GOOCH GO BRAGH is debuting on the Tapeta after
the interesting 3-race campaign in which he was 2nd on
the turf in his special weight debut, was 4th, while a
maiden, in the Grade 3 With Anticipation on the Spa
turf, and a nonfactor going 9 furlongs on the Keeneland
main track. Todd Pletcher has John Velazquez in the
saddle. 6 SIMMS is a gelded son of American Pharoah
debuting for trainer Mark Casse with a pair of bullet
workouts showing in preparation for his mile and 70-
yard debut on the Tapeta. The barn, 22% on the
synthetic, has go-to jock Edwin Gonzalez in the saddle.
8 MR. CELLULAR is a son of Nyquist debuting for
Saffie Joseph Jr with a steady stream of workouts
showing at Palm Meadows. Junior Alvarado rides this
intriguing first-time starter.
SELECTIONS: 9-6-8
BEST BET: RACE 8 – 2 LUKAS N’ LORI
LONGSHOT: RACE 9 – 4 NOBLE INDY