Aqueduct Notebook

AQUEDUCT NOTEBOOK

JANUARY 3, 2013

by John Mucciolo

There were no graded events over the weekend at the Big A.

Track Stats

A total of 54 races were held over the Jamaica, New York inner track, with favorites winning at a 35 percent rate and the top two betting choices combining for 56 percent of the wins during the week. Twenty-three horses won in wire-to-wire fashion (22 percent).

Speed carried the week at Aqueduct, with front runners and those pressing or attending the pace winning the majority of the races, especially going long. This oval has often been known to be especially kind to speed players in the past, and this year looks to be heading in the same direction.

Meet Totals

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (12/26)

4TH -- SOCIALSAUL (Read the Footnotes) ran huge in this spot in a fine runner-up performance, finishing more than 11 lengths clear of third. The Gary Contessa trainee responded well off the three-month break and seems to have come back in fine form.

7TH -- BOX OFFICE (Tiznow) pressed the pace to the top of the lane and cruised home an impressive 3 1/2-length winner under Junior Alvarado. The sophomore colt will be a big player right back for Richard Dutrow.

8TH -- We tabbed LITTLE ROCKET (Yes It's True) following her professional debut win and the Michael Hushion trainee made us look good with a romp in her first run with allowance types. This juvenile miss surely appears to be of stakes quality.

MISS DA POINT (Strong Contender) was stuck behind a slow pace with a clear leader, but this juvenile filly still rallied well to nearly gain second for trainer John Toscano Jr. We think this miss could move forward on the lawn, but is one to watch as a longshot next time, nonetheless.

Thursday (12/27)

5TH -- FULL OF INTENT (Master Command) was impressive in her manner in this winning race, tracking along the rail, moving four-wide nearing the top of the lane and wearing down the pacesetter late in a professional tally. The Bruce Levine-conditioned sophomore filly looks to be heading in the right direction leading into 2013.

6TH -- RUN A DUBB DUBB (Harlington) couldn't keep pace early but came home with a fury to almost bag this race at first asking for Tony Dutrow. The two-year-old filly made up a ton of ground late and was a bit unlucky in here.

Friday (12/28)

2ND -- REVOLUTIONARY (War Pass) finally broke through after a few promising starts to his career, and stamped himself as a sophomore to keep an eye on in 2013. The Todd Pletcher juvenile romped home by 8 1/2 lengths in running a solid final quarter-mile and the well-bred sort might continue to improve with distance.

6TH -- CHAPMAN (Stanislavsky) was tons the best in this debut run for trainer Chris Englehart, prompting the early tempo before drawing off late in a solid final time and the gelding is likely to try starter allowance foes after this fine debut.

Sunday (12/30)

2ND -- The gelded ODEA (Cherokee Run), who was making his first start in this sprint, was sharp from start to finish and came home in a swift :24 under Ramon Dominguez. The Jimmy Jerkens pupil is bred to be a nice sprinter and appears to be just that.

Monday (12/31)

3RD -- We had to give ourselves a little self promotion when the previously mentioned Miss Da Point came back to bag this stakes race in easy fashion just four days off of an allowance fourth. The filly changes tactics in gunning to the front early in here, and gave her foes little chance in the lane.

7TH ? Trainer Richard Dutrow has GALLANT FIELDS (Smarty Jones) going well right now, as the gelding followed up a fine stakes second with a pretty handy allowance win in here beneath Dominguez. We wouldn't be surprised to see this one entered in the next week or two.

A Look Ahead

There are a pair of stakes races this Saturday at the Big A, with the Grade 2, $200,000 Jerome Handicap for three-year-olds leading the way.