Posted on 3/27/2008 4:21:04 PM

Horse Racing Padding Your Bankroll

By Michael Dempsey

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along with coverage of major stakes races, longshots, and he will keep you up to date on what is happening on the circuits he covers.

Today’s feature is from Oaklawn Park, and it could come in on the light side as far as payoffs go, However, our Pick 3 play at Aqueduct, a $24 investment, has some promise.

My top picks in the three race sequence are 10/1, 6/1, and 8/1 respectively. If we can get them home, we should be able to pad our bankroll quite handsomely.

Today's Featured Race of the Day:

OP Race 8 OClm $55,000N1X (4:44 ct)

#4 Apple Martini 2/1

#2 Taptam 9/2

#8 Day of Victory 5/1

#5 Comely Grace 9/2

Analysis: #4 Apple Martini exits the Martha Washington where she made a mild late rally while wide to check in fourth. The winner of that race was Sky Mom, a next out winner at Sunland in the WinStar Oaks on 3/16. Runner up Maren's Meadow also won next out, taking the G3 Bourbonette on 3/22. Looks well spotted dropping into the allowance ranks for her second start against winners.

#2 Taptam also exits the Martha Washington. She checked in fifth, 1 1/2 lengths behind our top pick. She won at this condition two back and ran for a tag that day, making her eligible here.

Wagering

WIN: #4 to win at 8/5 or better.

EX: 2,4 / 2,4,5,8

TRI: 2,4 / 2,4,5,8 / 1,2,4,5,8

Aqueduct Late Pick 3

Starting in Race 7: $1: 2,5,6,10 / 2,3,6 / 8,9 = $24

AQU Race 7 OClm $25,000N2X (3:55 et)

#10 Al's Lark, #2 Quick and Easy, #5 Jacks Express, #6 Mor Chances

#10 Al's Lark gets the call here as the likely favorite, who is our third choice in here took advantage of an inside speed favoring racing strip to post his last win and looks like an underlay in here. Our top pick tries two turns for the first time here for Violette barn that is 8% winners moving runners from sprint to route. Has some pedigree power on the dam side to get the added ground and also has run well on wet tracks. A couple of good works on the morning tab and the price figures to be right.

#2 Quick and Easy checked in third last out at today's condition behind a gate to wire winner. Finished well while down along the rail after having to steady hard on the first turn.

AQU Race 8 OClm $50,000N2X (4:25 et)

#2 Sagamoon, #6 Labadeel, #3 Mulligatawny

#2 Sagamoon figures to be fitter for her second start off a eight month layoff. Last out she chased the early pace from the inside, angled out for the stretch drive and flattened out to finish second, no match for the winner while 3 1/2 lengths clear of the rest of the field. This gal won the Busanda on the inner here last year going two turns. Sharp barn is 32% winners (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a +180 day layoff. Note this gal is dropping a condition and has a very appealing off track pedigree in case we see some moisture.

#6 Labadeel stumbled coming out of the gate and then was sent up to set the early fractions, going gate to wire to beat Alw-1 optional claimers. The racing strip was kind to speed that day. She has moved forward each time barn has sent her out since arriving in the U.S.

AQU Race 9 Md $15,000 (4:55 et)

#8 Sapphire Ridge, #9 How Great I Am

#8 Sapphire Ridge drops in for a $15K tag and adds blinkers here, which hopefully will put a bit more zip in her early. Two back she stumbled badly coming out of the gate and finished well for third although the speed fig was paltry. Last out she saved ground much of the trip but had no punch in the stretch. Figures to be in the mix earlier against this slow group and her 8/1 ML looks fair enough.

#9 How Great I Am raced wide much of the trip in her debut, a fifth place finish at 5/1 in a field of eight. Recent works are slow and barn does much better with firsters as compared to second timers, but not much else in here to get excited about.

Live Longshots:

These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

AQU R2: #8 Smoke Vixen 12/1

AQU R6: #9 Dune Buggy 8/1

AQU R7: #10 Al’s Lark 10/1

AQU R9: #8 Sapphire Ridge 8/1

OP R2: #5 Just Like Trish 10/1

OP R4: #9 Right Lady 12/1

OP R5: #4 Blazin Micki 8/1

OP R6: #6 Matched 8/1

OP R6: #5 Belligerence 12/1

OP R7: #2 Ostenaco 10/1

OP R10: #9 Reform School 8/1

OP R10: #4 Incluso 8/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!

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