Aqueduct Trip Report

Ozone Park- After a few months away from New York racing I took the A train ride down to Aqueduct today. There were rumors on a message board that the grandstand was shuttered. After a few weeks of trying I could not get a strait answer from anyone on the grandstand -if they can't figure this out how can they figure out the races- so I had to go see for myself. The grandstand remains open. Most sections are closed but two sections remain open, which leaves hundreds of seats for the two dozen or so people that watch the races from the "power perch". The highlight of the facility is the nice Holiday display by the front entrance.

From Power Cap

The clubhouse entrance


What I like best about the Aqueduct grandstand is that both the paddock and the races can be watched from the grandstand seats. You can spend $5K on Yankees seats but they will be no better than the seats available in the Aqueduct grandstand-the Aqueduct seats are free everyday. There are loads of nuggets to be mined from up there. From fractious horses in the paddock to bad trips on the track.





















Just a few souls in the grandstand


Year after year it is the same people at Aqueduct everyday. They are dedicated fans that deserve better than the condition that Aqueduct is in. New faces are few and far between- for the horseplayers that remain Aqueduct is a home away from home. Their dedication is tested by the condition of the venue. There is bird dung on most outside exposed surfaces and around every corner is disrepair.

From Power Cap

grandstand is open but nobody is home


Just 18 years ago the place looked like a top notch facility. As time as passed the facility has deteriorated with little help from NYRA or the state. It is an injustice that other local sports venues have received billions in aid while Aqueduct is left to rot. Outwardly the place is a dump but inwardly Aqueduct is a very rich place, perhaps the richest in all of New York City. There is no pretension at Aqueduct; it is filled with such a varied cast of characters. On top of the characters the people that attend the races there are people of dedication; almost like loving children that take care of their terminally sick mother when others would have dispatched her to a nursing home long ago. Make no mistake, Aqueduct is sick and she needs a full rejuvenation to return to her past glory so some of the fair-weather children can return to her side.

From Power Cap

a gray, drab fall day at the Big A


The racing card was interesting for a Wednesday and was one of the reasons I made the trip out there. There were two turf races -turf rail was out 18 feet very speed favoring- the competitive racing yielded many very attainable longshots. Awesome Mich made the day for me. It is too bad that handicapping is esoteric, if everyone could learn the ways of form, pace and class this game would once again be the king of sports. However handicapping will always be a challenge- if the masses are to return they will demand a clean and inviting facility, something Aqueduct is not.

From Power Cap the play of day yields a generous return

This Would Be Awesome~Play Of The Day

Aqueduct Race 5

When I looked at this race I quickly noticed that Admiralty was entered and I internally blurted "lock!" Then I see that he was recently thumped at Delaware for a tag and was rather flat in the lane last time at Belmont. Was this same horse that beat stakes horse Mambo In Seattle in the open allowance after the 2008 Big Brown derby? He clearly has lost that three year old form and has disappointed since that last win 18 months ago. With a vulnerable heavy favorite this race could yield a longshot winner.

From Power Cap

My longshot pick in here is Awesome Mich. He is one of only two horses entered for the three year old condition -the other is Lohad- which gives him a class edge over the non winners of three lifetime condition runners. Mich is going to require some forgiveness for the ugly runs over the sloppy tracks at Monmouth and Meadowlands. It seems that he couldn't even stand up in the mud so I hereby abolish him of his cross-Hudson sloppy track sins. This is a gelding that has beaten 30N3L at Monmouth; now he gets to run for 10N3L. At 12-1 he is a good value play up top, and with the track fast he should run his race.

Aqueduct Race 5

Win #8 Awesome Mich

Stats
52 19-7-5
strike rate 37%
cumulative return 148.40
$2 ROI $2.85