Garrity's Sunday 11.28 Stakes has Aqueduct Picks, Del Mar Picks, including the Tepin and the Grade 1 Matriarch
We have five plays today, all stakes, three at Aqueduct and two at Del Mar, where it is closing day of their fall meet. We expect fast dirt and firm turf in all, so let’s go.
Aqueduct, Race 7, 2:43 pm ET
$150,000 Autumn Days Stakes, 6 furlongs, Turf, Fillies & Mares 3 & Up
It’s going to feel a lot more like winter than fall at the Big A this afternoon, but they’ll run the Autumn Days stakes anyway. And we are glad for it, as it’s a cracking good race that drew a field of eight. We like 2-Love and Thunder, a Chad Brown runner who has been somewhat of a disappointment so far in her 10-race career, as she’s run fairly well, but seems to have developed a knack more for finishing second, which she’s done five times, than winning, which she’s done only twice. Maybe this is because she lacks the mental toughness to win, or maybe it’s because she has not yet found her niche -- we are hoping it’s the latter, and that she will find that what suits her best is being a closing sprinter on the turf. The pace should be there to set up her charge today; we think she will be flying late, and will bet her to win at 4-1. The bet: Aqueduct, Race 7, $40 to win on 2-Love and Thunder.
Aqueduct, Race 8, 3:14 pm ET
Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap, 6 furlongs, Dirt, 3 & Up
The Fall Highweight drew a field of eight. 5-Wendell Fong is a strong play: there’s a lot of speed in the field, which should play to his stalking/closing running style. Look for him to be mid-pack early, behind very quick early fractions, and to win with a strong move down the stretch. We will bet him to win at 4-1. The bet: Aqueduct, Race 8, $40 to win on 5-Wendell Fong.
Aqueduct, Race 9, 3:43 pm ET
$100,000 Tepin Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Turf, 2-Year-Old FIllies
Ten go in the Tepin. We like 10-Caironi, who has been very impressive in her two career starts, both of which were at Belmont Park and both of which were on turf, winning a maiden race in her career debut on Oct. 2, and then closing strongly to finish a very good second in the Chelsea Flowers Stakes a month later. She has very strong late-pace numbers, which should have Caironi finishing strongly down the stretch, while the rest of the field tries unsuccessfully to stay with her. We will bet her to win at 2-1. The bet: Aqueduct, Race 9, $40 to win on 10-Caironi.
Del Mar, Race 3, 4:31 pm ET
Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes, 1 mile, Turf, 2-Year-Olds
A deep field of eleven is entered for the DeMille. The pick is 10-Verbal. He is another Chad Brown runner, and while Brown has had a disappointing weekend at the Del Mar Turf Festival so far, going winless with some pretty good horses, we think Verbal looks poised to get Brown off the schneid, as he simply appears to outclass the rest. Look for him to take the prize here with a big, sweeping move as the field turns for home. We will bet him to win at 5/2. The bet: Del Mar, Race 3, $40 to win on 10-Verbal.
Del Mar, Race 7, 6:31 pm ET
Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, 1 mile, Turf, Fillies & Mares 3 & Up
The Grade 1 Matriarch, which drew a field of six, is a good way to end both the weekend and the fall meeting at Del Mar. We like another Brown runner, 6-Regal Glory, who has been both good and consistent this year, winning two of her four starts, and running competitively in the other two, the First Lady at Keeneland and the Just a Game at Belmont. These were both Grade 1 races, and were filled with very tough fields, but she acquitted herself nicely, and that makes her loom ominously over this group, which is nowhere near as imposing as the ones she has been facing. Regal Glory has had a nice career so far, but she has yet to win a Grade 1 -- but we think she will today. We will bet her to win at 9/5. The bet: Del Mar, Race 7, $50 to win on 6-Regal Glory.
That’s all for today. Until the next time, enjoy the racing, be safe, and, as always, good luck at the windows.]