Thursday Quick Picks

An anonymous commenter recently inquired about the status of Saratoga Russell, and our anonymous owner graciously weighed in, relating that Saratoga Russell’s surgery went well and that he was back galloping pretty much the day after the surgery. His connections haven’t yet identified his next race, but they’re looking at sprint options. Here’s one person who hopes it’s in New York and not Florida, but his recorded work this morning might indicate otherwise, as he worked four furlongs at Palm Meadows in fifty flat.

Although there was only one prep of note last weekend, and one wouldn’t really expect it to have much impact on our standings, it provided a real boost for the Quinella Queen, who rocketed up thirty-eight places to sit snugly in second behind our leader. This weekend’s action at Gulfstream should provide some hope for those languishing at the back of the pack…but I am not optimistic, at least for me.

42. Trip’s Triple Crown Stable
55. Quinella Castle
61. Sleipnir Stables
73. Stafford Stables
103. SecBar Stable
109. Superterrific
138. Val’s Foolish Pleasure
164. Brooklyn Backstretch

On Friday at Aqueduct runs a horse named Afleet Alexandra; a huge Afleet Alex fan, I checked her pedigree and they do indeed share Northern Afleet as a sire, but it seems that given the similarity of their names, the connection would be a little closer. She was foaled in 2005, after Afleet Alex’s impressive two-year-old year but before (presumably) he began his sophomore exploits. Afleet Alexandra’s in a state-bred maiden claimer, so it appears that hopes are not so high for her; it’s her first time on the track and she’s 20/1 on the morning line.

I’m back in Brooklyn, briefly, before heading to Saratoga to retrieve my cats from their vacation home, a/k/a my parents’ house. I’m hoping to post more regularly and to detail my visits to Old Friends and Turfway before the weekend’s out; it’s awfully nice to be home, but I wistfully regard the end of spring break….