Gotham Stakes/Pick 6 Carryover Preview

 

Winter dealt the New York area another blow with lots of snow and frigid temperatures that caused two more days of cancelled racing at Aqueduct. However, the snowy white lining is that Gotham Stakes day now has a $148,147 Pick 6 carryover to follow the $100,000 Cat Cay and the $200,000 the Tom Fool (G3).

The Pick 6 sequence begins in race five with four state-bred races that add further New York flavor to this Gotham city card.

Race 5 will have a full field of twelve New York-bred fillies seeking their maiden victory for a $25,000 tag. Certainly a tough way to start this carryover sequence; there is a mix of experience and first time starters. Since there are a few horses with experience that have a good chance to win, I will not recommend any of the first-time starters. The top choice is Golden Starlet who has speed on the outside and is cutting back in distance. He has the top BSF in the field the last time he ran at the six-furlong distance and at this level. If Miss Bellamy draws in from the AE list, she will be a contender. Kool Charli and Dulce de Leche can also be used.

Race 6 is an OC Allowance in which Verismilitude could easily be a pick six single. This Charlton Baker runner is the real deal with two big wins in two starts at Aqueduct in 2015. His big 84 BSF will have handicappers that like the “bounce” theory looking at Champagne Ruby and Here’s Zealicious to upset the 2-1 morning line favorite.

Race 7 is the toughest in the pick 6 with another full field; this time in a $55,000 New York-bred maiden special weight. Fallfire makes his 2015 debut after three tries at Finger Lakes that included a third in the New York Breeders’ Futurity. Shore to Party’s recent second place finish makes he a very like contender, also. Here, however, the first-timers cannot be ignored. East Side Kid, Rectify, Elusive Talmo, and Ulations must be considered in their initial start. Ulations is a half-brother to Like Now, the 2006 winner of the Gotham. Since both of the AEs, True Bet and Summer Hawk, have already run races that could win this one, if either of them draws into the field they must be considered.

Race 8 is a first level New York-bred allowance. Here Lady Luciano is a standout that has done his best running since going turf to inner track in 2015. Laurel shipper Understanding has never run a bad race if you ignore his three grass starts.

Race 9 – The Gotham (G3) – Although the Gotham has the same feel as the Withers with El Kabeir looking like the best horse again, there appear to be several horses that could spoil the party for the Zayat runner again. Repole Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher send out a three-horse entry headed by Blame Jim. He showed great promise winning at first asking at Saratoga defeating Bold Conquest. That was it for Blame Jim until February when he finished second at Gulfstream Park behind Stanford. Classy Class finished just off El Kabeir in the Withers and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin insists that this son of Discreetly Mine does not need to be on the lead. If he can rate he has a good chance in the Gotham.

My top pick is 15-1 morning line Tiz Shea D. This son of Tiznow was a private purchase after a rousing win in his first start at Parx. The second place finisher in that race came back to win in very fast time. Tiz Shea D. shipped down to Parx after training very impressively for Jason Servis at Belmont Park. Now in the Bill Mott barn, this colt could be a good one.

Race 10 is a N3L claimer with a field of ten. Sun and Moon could easily win again after being claimed by the savvy Michelle Nevin. Rock N Cozy had a throw-out race after being claimed by Abigail Adsit and now drops to level in which she is a major player.