Three Horses Capable of Upsetting Viva Rafaela in Long Island Handicap
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Maximova's first stakes victory came in the 2013 Bit of Whimsey Stakes at Belmont. (Photo by Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
Did you think the international handicapping puzzles were over once the Breeders’ Cup World Championships concluded at Santa Anita last weekend? Think again!
A full field of 12 (with two also-eligible horses who will be eligible to run if other entrants are scratched) fillies and mares was entered for Saturday’s $200,000 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct in South Ozone Park, N.Y. Eight of the 14 were born outside of the United States. Viva Rafaela most likely will be the betting favorite in the Long Island Handicap, but let’s take a look at three horses who have a good chance of upsetting her on Saturday.
#1 Aigue Marine: Aigue Marine comes into the Long Island Handicap off of a racing break of a little more than two months. However, her trainer Christophe Clement has had a lot of success in races similar to these and her jockey John Velazquez is already in the Hall of Fame. Look for Aigue Marine to get into contending position around the final turn in the Long Island Handicap, and hopefully she is quick enough late to earn the victory.
#4 Maximova: This filly also is trained by Christophe Clement, so we know she has the same training advantage as Aigue Marine. Compared with some of the other horses in this race, Maximova is fairly inexperienced, having only raced nine times since beginning her career in April 2013. However, Maximova has won four of those nine races and will be returning to the same racetrack where she won her career debut. Her last race was better than it looks on paper, and, with added improvement Maximova could be able to steal a victory on Saturday.
#11 Embarr: Embarr probably will be a longshot price in the Long Island Handicap on Saturday, considering she was 71.50-to-1 in her most recent race (a seventh-place finish in the Athenia Stakes at nearby Belmont Park last month). However, it should be noted that Embarr does have nine career wins, and all nine of those have come on the turf. She has been only a few lengths away from a few wins at huge odds this year and has won two races this year against softer competition in Maryland. If things go her way, Embarr might be able to light up the toteboard on Saturday.
Betting Strategy
$1 exacta: 1,4,11 with 1 2 4,5,6,11 = $18
$200,000 Long Island HandicapSaturday, Aqueduct, Race 7, 3:14 p.m. ET1 ½ miles, turf, fillies and mares, 3 year-olds and older
PP
Horse
Jockey
Weight
Trainer
1
Aigue Marine (GB)
John Velazquez
118
Christophe Clement
2
Viva Rafaela (BRZ)
Joe Bravo
119
Todd Pletcher
3
Tabreed (GB)
Cornelio Velasquez
115
Christophe Clement
4
Maximova (NY)
Manuel Franco
115
Christophe Clement
5
Danza Cavallo (FR)
Irad Ortiz Jr.
114
Chad Brown
6
Hellenistic (KY)
Angel Arroyo
113
Dermot Weld
7
Giant Shadow (KY)
Eriluis Vaz
112
Edward Graham
8
Invading Humor (NY)
Jose Ortiz
115
Bernardo Callejas
9
Meri Shika (FR)
Emma-Jayne Wilson
115
Roger Attfield
10
Auld Alliance (IRE)
Angel Serpa
115
Graham Motion
11
Embarr (VA)
Dylan Davis
115
Susan Cooney
12
Angegreen (ITY)
Channing Hill
116
Wayne Catalano
13
Songoficeandfire (KY)
Junior Alvarado
111
Bill Mott
14
Bohemian Dance (IRE)
Kendrick Carmouche
112
Michael Dilger