RECAP OF SELECTIONS FROM 12/01/18

Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park: The beauty of the annual Claiming Crown series of races is that allows hard knocking thoroughbreds to compete for monster purses and there’s no better example of a grizzled veteran than AZTEC SENSE ($5.00) who is now a perfect eight-for-eight in 2018, increasing his career earnings to over $546,000. Not bad for a horse who was claimed for $12,500 back in August, 2017!

Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct: Sometimes, finding the winner of a race is as easy as identifying who ran the best last race Beyer Speed Figure and for this race that would have been MAXIMUS MISCHIEF ($4.60). But I had questions about his class (shipping in from Parx) and possible distance limitations (had never been two turns). Silly me!

Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct: Funny how a race is always easier to handicap AFTER the race, but it wasn’t like PATTERNRECOGNITION ($12.80) had me fooled as I had him ranked third in my analysis with a ‘major player’ comment. But in retrospect, being trained by Chad Brown as well as now being a perfect three-for-three at this distance and also on this main track should have prompted me to push him up to first.

Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar: It’s an over simplified phrase, but winners win, and that’s exactly what trainer Chad Brown does, so when his RAGING BULL ($5.80) won, with RIVER BOYNE finishing second, it enabled me to collect the $9.90 exacta five times.

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