Horse Betting Action - Padding Your Bankroll

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 will keep you up to date on what is happening on the circuits he covers. Don't miss Wednesday's report where Michael will keep you up to date with track bias reports for the major circuits.

Our biggest challenge on Thursday may be Mother Nature. The weather is going to turn nasty in New York, with snow and possibly freezing rain hitting the region right around post time.

New York does a good job of speeding up post times when weather threatens, so hopefully the snow will hold off for a couple of hours and we'll get the entire card in.

Of course, the weathermen seem to be wrong more times than they are right, so we might not have anything to really worry about today.

We'll invest $24 in the late Pick 3 and our featured race of the day involves a couple of generous prices and the prospect of a nice payoff if we are right.

Today's Featured Race of the Day:

AQU Race 6 Md Sp Wt (1:00 et)

#10 Free and Brave 6/1

#8 Street talk 15/1

#6 Golden Spirits 8/1

#1 Fairy Godmother 4/1

Analysis: #10 Free and Brave stretches out to a route of ground for the first time after a pair of sprint tries. Was fifth in her debut and came back three months later to finish third last out, making a mild late rally over a inside speed favoring racing strip. Kimmel barn is 18% winners moving runners from sprint to route. Has some pedigree appeal to get two turns on the bottom side, mare is by Unbridled and her lone win came routing.

#8 Street Talk was not a threat in her debut, checking in ninth at 9/1 in a field of ten. She was a $175K buy and has a solid pedigree, by Street Cry out of a mare that has dropped seven winners including four stakes winners, top earner Buy the Sport ($357K).

Wagering

WIN: #10 to win at 7/2 or better.

EX: 8,10 / 1,6,8,10

TRI: 8,10 / 1,6,8,10 / 1,6,7,8,9,10

Aqueduct Late Pick 3

Starting in Race 7: $1: 4,5 / 1,2,4 / 1,3,4,5 = $24

AQU Race 7 Clm $30,000N2L (3:16 et)

#5 After Dark, #4 Elirose

#5 After Dark makes her first start off a two month break for Klesaris barn. Last out the filly came up just a nose shy of beating Alw-1 foes at Del Park going five furlongs on turf. Came up the inside with a good late run and was crowded by the pacesetter backing up. Barn strong with layoff types and hits at a 33% clip (with a +ROI) moving runners from turf to dirt.

#4 Elirose came up empty in the stretch last out at Philly versus Alw-2L foes. Two back this gal headed for home with the lead only to come up a half length shy of the top spot. Has a habit of landing in the bottom half of the exacta in her career but her maiden score did come on the inner and she drops in for a tag for the first time here for Tony D. barn.

AQU Race 8 OClm $50,000N2X (3:44 et)