The Lead:
The post-Breeders' Cup run to the end of the season begins in earnest this weekend. Aqueduct's grass course has benefitted from unseasonably mild weather and will be front and center with the featured $300,000 Grade 2 Red Smith on Saturday. The 1-3/8 miles contest has honored the legendary sports and turf writer since its 1960 inaugural.
Field Depth:
Grade 1 winner ADHAMO is joined by Grade 2 winners INTEGRATION (pictured), CITY MAN and MASTER PIECE, the latter defending champion in the Red Smith. PIONEERING SPIRIT and LIMITED LIABILITY are Grade 2-placed at this level. Arguably, ADHAMO and MASTER PIECE have kept the strongest company lines consistently.
Pace:
Extremely slow projection with uncertainty who assumes the front. CURBSTONE from the rail makes the most sense having shown speed sporadically. You won't want to be too far back in this one.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-CURBSTONE: Off 6 straight losses and an 0-8 lifetime mark on turf, it would be natural to look elsewhere. But he could land some pace edge and 4-time Red Smith winner John Velazquez is just 1 shy of Angel Cordero's career mark for victories in this race. Still, demand longshot odds.
#2-INTEGRATION: Winner of the Hill Prince over this course around this time a year ago, the now 4-year-old's current season includes a Grade 1 Arlington Million runner-up. Trainer Shug McGaughey's 4 Red Smith wins are tops all-time. Flavien Prat, coming off a big Breeders' Cup weekend, takes over the mount.
#3-PIONEERING SPIRIT: Fresh off a $62,500 claim by Rick Dutrow off of Linda Rice, this 5-year-old looks to snap an 0-10 mark this year and 0-8 career record on the Aqueduct grass. Won't be surprised if he's used in the early pace from a favorable draw by Manny Franco.
#4-CITY MAN: New York-bred has banked $1.3 million, including Gulfstream's Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale, so the move back to open company is within his grasp. Trainer Christophe Clement is a 2-time Red Smith winner and it's hard to argue with 7 exacta finishes in 11 starts over this turf course.
#5-LIMITED LIABILITY: Stretched out to win the 2-1/16 miles Nashville Gold Cup at Kentucky Downs last out for 4-time Red Smith winner Shug McGaughey. Frankie Dettori was aboard for the first time that day and returns to the saddle. Off the board in 3 prior Aqueduct turf tries, including a belated rally to be an unthreatening sixth in this race last year.
#6-ADHAMO: Millionaire 6-year-old hasn't won since the summer of 2022, dropping 9 straight. Trainer Chad Brown, a 3-time winner of this race, catapults back to NY after Sierra Leone's $7M Breeders' Cup Classic win at Del Mar. First-time gelding turns to Irad Ortiz Jr. with regular riders Prat and Dettori riding other rivals on Saturday.
#7-DAUNT: Seventh in this race at 40-1 a year ago and fourth in the '22 renewal, he's lost 14 in a row dating back more than 2 years. His last 5 tries on the Big A lawn have all been off-the-board finishes.
#8-MASTER PIECE: Seeks to become the third 2-time winner of the Red Smith, joining Drumtop (1971-'72) and Boisterous (2011-'12). Could also make some history while matching Yankee Affair (1990) as the only 8-year-olds to score in this race. Versatile running style could come in handy with this slow pace projection, and his 2-for-2 local turf mark also includes May's Grade 2 Fort Marcy before a 3-race California swing this summer.
#9-REBEL RED: Trainer Cherie DeVaux rides momentum from a Breeders' Cup Mile victory from More Than Looks at Del Mar last Saturday as Rebel Red seeks his first stakes win. He's notched 3 victories in his last 4, but was no threat in the Bernard Baruch in his only stakes attempt to date. Frankel colt has yet to run beyond 9F, which will test how long he can sustain his closing kick.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
MASTER PIECE is proven over the course and trip and should be able to secure a beneficial trip that gets a jump on the deep closers.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
CURBSTONE has some pace edge to nurse the front and perhaps hold for a share.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$50 exacta box INTEGRATION and MASTER PIECE ($100).
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