A field of eight will line up in Saturday's $100,000 Alex M. Robb at Aqueduct. (photo credit: bigstock.com)
A field of eight New York breds will line up in Wednesday’s $100,000 Alex M. Robb at 1 1/16 miles on the inner track, the final stakes race in New York for 2014.
The Robb is supported by a nine-race card that features the $100,000 Bay Ridge for state bred fillies and mares that drew a competitive field of 12.
There is a $21,353 carryover in the Pick 6 and there is a mandatory payout on Wednesday.
The Robb drew a solid group of veterans including several that have run very well on the inner track. Awesome Vision is coming off a sharp win against state bred allowance foes and has won half of his 10 trips on the inner track. The Tom Albertrani trainee is 4-1 on the morning line.
The David Jacobson trained Big Business is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The gelding is looking to bounce back off a fourth place finish in the Cigar Mile (G1).
Effinex also drops out of graded stakes company. The colt has a tough trip last out in a fourth place finish in the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (G2). He previously won the state bred Empire Classic in an upset at 17-1.
Readthebyline went gate to wire to win a New York Stallion series race in his last start and has landed in the exacta in six of his 11 trips on the inner track. Trained by Michelle Nevin, the gelding is 9-2 on the morning line.
Let’s head out to the Big A for Wednesday’s featured race of the day:
Aqueduct Race 8 The Alex M. Robb (Post time 3:43 ET)
2 Awesome Vision 4-1
5 West Hills Giant 6-1
1 Big Business 5-2
3 Effinex 7-2
Analysis: Awesome Vision is coming off a sharp win last out against non-conditioned state bred allowance company where the five-year-old drew off top win by six widening lengths. He has won five of his 10 starts on the inner track in his career and he looks back on track after getting soundly beaten in his two previous starts, two back finishing 9 1/2 lengths back in sixth behind Effinex’s upset win in the state bred Empire Classic. He was the beaten chalk in this race last year, checking in third at 6-5 but is going to offer more value here.
West Hills Giant was the beaten chalk last out in a New York Stallion series race, rallying to finish second to a loose on the lead Readthebyline, who was taking full advantage of a racing strip that as kind to inside speed that day. The colt has a second and a third in two trips at this distance and while he has lost 11 races in a row, he may appreciate the stretch out. The John Terranova barn is 13% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route. The colt is likely going to get overlooked on the tote in this spot.
Big Business rarely runs a bad one, landing in the money in 25 of 32 career starts with 10 wins. He was in too tough last out in the Cigar Mile (G1) where he made a mild late rally to finish a decent fourth. His two trips on the inner track were both runner up finishes against open Alw-2 optional claimers. He owns solid early and mid pace numbers and with the rail draw may get sent early by Jara. The 5-2 morning line seems a tad on the light side.
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 2,5 / 1,2,3,5
TRI: 2,5 / 1,2,3,5 / 1,2,3,5,8
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