Handicapping: Aiming for Some Christmas Cash

Weekend warriors have one final chance to score some Christmas cash Saturday, Dec. 19, and there is no shortage of opportunities. 

At Aqueduct Racetrack, where they are digging out from a Nor'easter that forced the cancellation of racing Dec. 17, the grizzled veteran Backsideofthemoon is a slight favorite over Musical Heart in the $100,000 Queens County Stakes once around the Big A oval.

There are six $75,000 stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots climaxed by the Tenacious Stakes, which features the return of the unbeaten but injury-plagued Maxfield.

A twin-bill of $100,000 events at Gulfstream Park consists of the Via Borghese Stakes for fillies and mares on turf and a 12-horse renewal of the Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) for sprinters on dirt. They are the fourth and fifth legs of a must-pay Rainbow Pick 6 that had a carryover of $757,752 heading into racing Dec. 18.

The richest race in the country is the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), formerly the Hollywood Futurity, which has been won by a Bob Baffert-trained juvenile each of the six years since being relocated. Baffert's lone entrant is Spielberg, who gets a rematch with Red Flag after proving no match for the latter in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.

Here are some thoughts in chronological order, all times Eastern.

Queens County (Aqu, race 9, 3:45): Backsideofthemoon (4) and Musical Heart (5) were a neck apart in an optional claimer last month, and while either can win, I'm more interested in third choice Mirinaque (2).

A group 1 winner in his native Argentina, Mirinaque cuts back from a sharp second in a 14-horse Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) third time out in the United States, and he has since been transferred to Wesley Ward. This is a legitimate class drop.

A — 2

B — 4, 5

Via Borghese (GP, race 9, 4:12): This is a competitive event where Traipsing (2) figures to try and wire the field, but it's unlikely that Irad Ortiz Jr. on Always Shopping (8) is going to let her get away with an easy time of it up front.

That could set things up for second choice Great Island (9), who rallied for second in her 2019 debut against subsequent multiple graded stakes winner Mean Mary and returned in the fall to notch wins in maiden and first-level allowance company. However, she will be stretching out an eighth of a mile in her stakes debut for Chad Brown, who got off to a 1-for-8 start at the meet that included pratfalls from several short-priced runners.

We're fooling around with Court Return (3) and Cambeliza (6). 

Court Return is a slow starter but improved steadily through four starts at Woodbine earlier this year, capped by a fast-closing second in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T).

Cambeliza couldn't handle boggy conditions in the Zagora Stakes last time out at Belmont Park, but both of her races on firm turf this year were solid.

A — 3, 6

B — 2, 8, 9

Los Alamitos Futurity (LRC, race 4, 4:28): Red Flag (1) is tabbed at even money off a dominating win in the seven-furlong Bob Hope, but there's no guarantee that sprint form at Del Mar will transfer to two turns at Los Al. A notable recent example of this was Astute, who romped in the Desi Arnaz Stakes but was then was a distant fourth in the Starlet Stakes (G1) when well backed by the public.

Red Flag was on his left lead through the stretch of the Bob Hope, which doesn't bode well for an additional turn, and moreover, he could bounce. Meanwhile, Spielberg regressed sharply from a good-figure maiden win on a scant two weeks' rest in the Bob Hope at 3-5, and the $1 million colt by Union Rags  may rebound here at a better price.

Petruchio (2) is a potential win bet at something like his 4-1 early line. He showed some talent finishing third in a pair of dirt sprints, then raised his game when stretched out to a mile for two turf races in October along with the addition of blinkers. He appeared much more polished graduating last time out, and this will be his first dirt race since adding the hood.

A — 2, 6

B — 1

Mr. Prospector (GP, race 10, 4:43): This is a fun little race, isn't it? The field swelled to a dozen with the additions of Firenze Fire (9) and Mind Control (12), a couple of grade 1 winners who were scratched from the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) when the track came up sloppy.

Firenze Fire isn't generally thought of as a seven-furlong horse, but did win the General George Stakes (G3) decisively last winter and his five other attempts at the distance were all grade 1s.

Sleepy Eyes Todd (8) could fall through the cracks a bit after rallying from last to win a spill-marred Lafayette Stakes Presented By Keeneland Select on Breeders' Cup Saturday, Nov. 7. That effort was flattered when runner-up True Timber returned to post an upset in the Cigar Mile.

Ebben(10) rallied mildly from far back to wind up fourth in the Lafayette but has previously shown enough tactical speed to stay in touch early.

Diamond Oops (7) and Lasting Legacy (1) got a beneficial setup when they came from well off the pace to run one-two in last year's Mr. Prospector, and both get some class relief after wide trips in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).

Last Judgment (6) was claimed out of a big-figure win at Belmont and has since turned in some sharp workouts for Mike Maker, who is off to a typically strong Gulfstream start.

A — 7, 8, 9

B — 1, 6, 10

Tenacious (FG, race 13, 6:50): Maxfield (6) has overcome slow getaways to win each of his three starts including the 2019 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) and the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) in his only appearance this year. He has been sidelined twice by injuries and will be facing older horses for the first time while also racing outside Kentucky for the first time.

Sonneman (5) may be worth a play as the second choice, particularly if Maxfield really gets pounded at the windows. 

Sonneman turned a corner when stretched out to two turns for his last two races, and prior to that was good enough to run second in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented By LG & E & KU (G2).

Captivating Moon (3) raced wide rallying for second in the New Orleans Classic (G2) over this track in March. He hasn't had much pace in front of him recently.

Dinar (7) lost his rider behind the spill in the Lafayette. He was beaten less than two lengths in the Ack Ack Stakes (G3) before that, and a local bullet work last Sunday indicates he may bounce back at a price.

A — 5, 6

B — 3, 7