Aqueduct - Race 9

#2 Awesome Act (9/2)

Big fan of this horse. Shipped over from Europe to run close in the BC Juvenile Turf last year (finishing behind recent San Felipe second Interactif), then went back to Europe and was training @ Newmarket before shipping over for the Gotham and running a huge race right off the plane. That race marked his dirt debut, and he clearly relished the surface, moving smooth as glass from in-and-among horses to assume a striking position on the turn while still totally in hand. At that point Leparoux took a very confident look back, because he clearly knew that he had the leaders beaten at that point. A moment or two later he shook the reins at this horse, and he just bounded into the clear to win very easily. Finished very strongly, and and should appreciate the stretchout to 1 1/8 miles here, because he's bred top-and-bottom to run long, with BC Classic winner Awesome Again on the top side and the bottom side consisting of the Arc winner Bago. Could even improve today, as this marks his only second start of the year, and rather than traveling back to Europe again, he's remained in New York to train towards this race (and eventually the Derby). He did miss a scheduled workout on Wednesday due to the wet weather, but it was just a 3 furlong blowout, and they said beforehand that they could just gallop him into the race no problem if he happened to miss the drill. That's really my only concern here, as i think this guy represents a huge threat to the heavy favorite Eskendereya today, and obviously the difference in odds will be substantial. Expecting a solid effort from this colt, at an overlaid price.

HRT record:

68 for 243 (28%)

$585.20 mutuels ($8.61 avg)

Good luck right behind you with this horse today!

Was my pick also. Pletcher may finally get his derby. Knock on 'Wood'

jock chocked him all of the way..little stumble at start but i dont think he would of won with a great trip.....monster run by winner.he will be derby fav. even if lookin at lucky wins

The Big E and Sydneys Candy looked strong today. LAL run a hell of a race checking back to last almost and then coming back to run 3rd this hear has a HEART of a GIANT. Go Go has had two straight troubled races, LAL will be a bigger price in the gates on May 1st because of today. The Big E looks better than Big Brown and is winning these races in a gallop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I thought Awesome Act looked extremely strong approaching the turn, very much like last time, but he just stopped running. Not sure what happened, but no doubt Eskendereya looked fantastic.

I did have Sidney's Candy, wish i'd have given tha one out instead, but i'm guessing several of you were on him anyway.

Btw, Setsuko ran second! The $1 trifecta combining Setsuko with Sidney's Candy/Lookin at Lucky returned $128. Oh baby!!!

And i think that just punched Setsuko's ticket to the Derby. He needed to run at least second, and he did.

Just saw this in the Bloodhorse article, and found it somewhat interesting. Not sure how much difference it might've made, but it's something:

Awesome Act's trainer, Jeremy Noseda, also confirmed his charge will move on to Churchill. He said the son of Awesome Again* was hampered when losing a shoe out of the gate.