RT picks Saturday's Wood Memorial and Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct, and he's feeling a bit Nostalgic

RT’s Spot Plays

04.09.22

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Final Derby Preps and two Oaks Prep races today with The Wood, Blue Grass, and Santa Anita Derby. For the girls, it is The Gazelle and The Santa Anita Oaks. Each race has a dispersal of 100-40-20-10 in qualifying points.

Nest looked like a world beater yesterday coming four wide into the stretch and taking command to win going away by over eight lengths. It will be an interesting matchup with her, Kathleen O, Hidden Connection, Echo Zulu, Yuugiri, Secret Oath and whomever storms in from the west coast.

There is a big buzz around my neck of Louisville about Tiz The Bomb, and Messier looks to get a trip to The ‘Ville today. If Forbidden Kingdom gets in the top four today, his Air Horse One will be heading eastward.

After today, these lists are going to look much different with everyone below Morello in the males division likely to be out, and the girl horses below Shahama likely to be gone.

On Friday, April 22, I will be making the 90 mile drive eastward to Keeneland and vying in the Keeneland Spring Challenge. This will be my contest debut and I will be like the guy in the clubhouse who hit a hole-in-one, if you are there and find me and I’ll buy you a drink.

I like two races -

Aqueduct Race 8 – The $750K Grade 2 Wood Memorial

3yo’s going nine furlongs

This race has been jurassic to Kentucky Derby winners since Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000 and today’s lineup carries the same depth, or lack thereof. Today we have eight horses from five trainer's barns, and given the equal horses, I am going with the hot jockey Kendrick Carmouche on Todd Pletcher’s trainee, 2-Golden Code (15/1). Carmouche is a sizzling 5/8 in route races since the end of March and 26% with Todd. Watch Kendrick and this NY bred spring the upset today

Aqueduct Race 10 – The $250K Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes

3yo fillies going nine furlongs

I am going with Godolphin and 3-Nostalgic (9/2) who just won an optional claimer and has returned to the work tab in good order. By Medaglia d’Oro, and out of Been Here Before, a Tapit broodmare, she is bred for this distance and beyond.

Happy Hunting!