Eight line up in Friday’s $200,000 Comely (G3) at Aqueduct (Photo credit: © Bratty1206 | Dreamstime.com)
A field of eight three-year-old fillies line up on Friday in the $200,000 Comely (G3) at Aqueduct led by the Bill Mott trained Blamed, the 5-2 morning line favorite.
The race is one of four stakes on the Aqueduct card on Friday. The supporting features are the $150,000 Forever Together, $150,000 Gio Ponti and the $100,000 Key Cents.
Blamed is making her second start off an eight-month layoff and her second start since landing with the Mott barn. She was a game second in the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland last out behind Shamrock Rose, who came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) in her next outing.
Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Alberobello (4-1), one of three to exit the Remington Park Oaks (G3). She stalked the early pace and tired to finish eighth.
Pletcher has won the Comely once, taking the 2012 edition with Broadway Alibi.
Clark on Tap at Churchill Downs
The feature at Churchill Downs on Friday is the $500,000 Clark Handicap (G1), a nine-furlong test for the handicap division that drew a field of eight.
Defending champion Seeking the Soul is the 8-5 morning line favorite. The Dallas Stewart trainee ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his last outing.
Among his foes are Fayette (G2) winner Leofric (3-1), the D. Wayne Lukas trained Bravazo (9-2), who competed in all three jewels of this year’s Triple Crown and Prime Attraction (3-1), who is 0 for 6 this year but has landed in the money in four graded stakes.
My Best Plays Report for Friday includes my strongest plays from Aqueduct and Churchill Downs.
Let’s head out to Aqueduct for Friday’s featured race of the day:
Aqueduct Race 9 The Comely G3 Post time 3:50 ET
6 Alberobello 4-1
4 Blamed 5-2
8 Remedy 3-1
7 Indy Union 6-1
Alberobello
The Todd Pletcher trainee did not fire her best in the Remington Park Oaks (G3) last out and is looking to turn the tables on two foes she finished behind. Four fillies exited that race to win next out including third place finisher Cosmic Burst, who won the Zia Park oaks on Wednesday.
She broke her maiden in a smart looking win at seven furlongs at the spring Keeneland meeting and passed her first allowance condition in her second try in the slop at the Spa at nine furlongs. She was a $475,000 Keeneland purchase and has four sibs that are stakes winners, top earner Jojo Warrior ($396,321). The filly has worked sharply since her last outing and looking for her to bounce back with a much better effort. Pletcher’s barn was in a bit of a funk by his standards in August and September and looks back on track.
Blamed
This filly won five of her first six starts taking the Sunland Park Oaks back in March but missed timer with an ankle injury. She was switched to the Bill Mott barn and she set the early fractions and could not hold off the winner in a runner up finish in the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland going seven furlongs.
The winner of that race was Shamrock Rose, who returned to pull off the upset in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at 26-1. She stretches back out to a route here and ahs enough pedigree to handle nine furlongs. She is by Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Blame out of a stakes placed Giant’s Causeway mare. Mott is 17% winners moving runners form sprint to route.
Remedy
The filly exits the Remington Park Oaks where she set the early fractions and could not go with the winner while holding on to the runner up spot by a nose. Four of her first five starts came on turf with the other coming in the slop.
This is just her third start over a fast main track and she owns solid early and mid pace numbers in a race without a ton of early zip signed up. She is a half to graded stakes placed Harry’s Holiday ($197,657).
Wagering:
WIN: #6 to win at 3-1 or better.
EXACTA: 4,6 / 4,6,7,8
TRIFECTA: 4,6 / 4,6,7,8 / 1,4,6,7,8
