Sunday's Best Bet: Thorny Tale over Blindwillie McTell in Rego Park

Sunday’s seventh race from Aqueduct is the $100,000 Rego Park Stakes for New York-bred three-year-olds dashing six and one-half furlongs on the main track (Post Time - 3:58 p.m. ET).

#6 THORNY TALE (9-2) ran a big race to land the place from post 11 in the NYSS Great White Way (sloppy track) Dec. 16. He looked good graduating in his career debut on a fast track and projects a stalking trip at a hint of a price.

#2 Blindwillie McTell (9-5) was my top choice in the aforementioned Great White Way and he smartly graduated in that state bred stakes race. He is a solid early-pressing threat with anything resembling his last start.

#7 Tiergan (15-1) appears best as a late running sprinter based on his strong off the pace win vs. New York-breds in his six panel debut at Belmont Park last fall. He flopped in a pair of longer races versus open company at Churchill Downs but might perk up in the state bred ranks at this shorter trip. The pace might heat up in this event. 

THE PLAYS:

#6 to win

Exacta 6/2-7

Exacta 2-7/6

Trifecta 2-6/ALL/7

January 2019 Best Bet Winners

Jan. 1 - CARIBOU CLUB ($8.60), Exacta ($9.90)

Jan. 2 - Cambier Parc/Cap de Creus Exacta ($18.20), Trifecta ($26.95)

Jan. 6 - FIERY OPAL ($13.80), Exacta ($89.50)