Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mike Beer handicaps the Friday, January 23 racing card at Aqueduct, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 4.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: King Phoenix (4th race)
Fourth Race
1. King Phoenix
2. Shoot the Nickel
3. Taparino
KING PHOENIX was sent to the lead after breaking slowly, and he did not rate that pace when noticeably tiring and getting run down by an odds-on favorite two starts back at Finger Lakes; ran in two much tougher claiming races around that effort, which followed a runaway maiden win off the claim for this trainer; drops with speed from the rail. SHOOT THE NICKEL was consistently earning figures that make him tough in here last year while facing tougher competition; had some early trouble on the drop last time and could only manage fourth as the favorite; appears to be spotted to win off the claim for top connections. TAPARINO cut back out of some longer races to just miss at a price last January, then improved again to post an easy maiden win in his next start; has been laid up since getting in way over his head going 11 furlongs when last seen; starts back in a better spot looking to make a late run.
Here are Mike’s thoughts on the other seven races on Friday’s Aqueduct card.
First Race
1. Vinnie Bankerino
2. Always Honest
3. Big Brooklyn
VINNIE BANKERINO looked green after being outpaced to the lead by an odds-on favorite, then got shuffled back behind horses, before failing to seriously threaten in his career debut; caught a speed-favoring track and could only chase front-running, blowout winner Toy Cannon last time; bred to get this far as a half to Cinderella’s Cause and Amadeus Music, both multiple winners routing on dirt; one more chance. ALWAYS HONEST was competitive in his first two starts sprinting around a 100+ day layoff (with a listed vet scratch in between); tried moving up in class last time, and looked completely overmatched while pulling a wide trip; drops back down to try a mile for the first time. BIG BROOKLYN was outrun early in his first attempt over this distance last month, but he managed to put in a determined finish in that spot to finish a clear third; showed speed with Lasix on last time, but he was under pressure throughout and eventually tired to finish behind a more opportunistic TAKAHAMA; tries again looking for the right trip.
Second Race
1. El Grande O
2. Baby Yoda
3. General Banker
EL GRANDE O more than held his own as an open stakes horse early on; returned from a layoff with two strong wins (with consecutive Beyer tops) at the end of his 3yo campaign, before catching a couple of wet tracks and getting another break; had an excuse in his return at Saratoga, then jumped up into triple-digit Beyer territory when gunning down the then in-form Acoustic Ave two back; drops out of a Grade 3 and breaks from a perfect post. BABY YODA has won each of his last two starts in this condition, including a 102 Beyer-victory off the bench last summer, and has won his last three starts outside of stakes company overall; steps back again after failing to show up with his best effort in his first two starts off the claim. GENERAL BANKER went off form in a couple of starts last summer before getting some time off; ran poorly again when returned from the layoff in a NY-bred stakes race, then got back on track last time when finishing gamely along the inside to just miss second, before galloping out strongly past the wire; needs his best.
Third Race
1. Lady Meringue
2. Sabby Sunset
3. Powerful Jo
LADY MERINGUE contested the pace before giving way in her dirt debut; was racing over a speed-favoring track when chasing wide and staying gamely for third behind a blowout winner last time; drops again. SABBY SUNSET has already had her chances, though this will be her first start down around this level on dirt, and her speed makes her dangerous against horses like this; might be now or never. POWERFUL JO was the lone firster in that field when trying a mile on debut, where she chased from the outside and retreated; drops all the way down and turns back with Lasix on.
Fifth Race
1. Maizey Blue
2. Strike a Rose
3. Think I’m in Love
MAIZEY BLUE was going easy during her 10.2 breeze before selling for $43k last June; works have been steady since getting underway late last year for a trainer who had an excellent 2025 with his first-time starters, and there is some pedigree here – sire hits with 17% of his first-time starters, dam was a debut winner sprinting on dirt, and this is the female family of 2yo champion filly Storm Song. STRIKE A ROSE is the first foal to race from her dam, who is an unraced sister to Grade 1-winning sprinter Shotgun Gulch; hasn’t given much away in the morning, but is going out for one of the top first-out barns on the grounds. THINK I’M IN LOVE ships in to debut for an underrated first-out trainer – Demasi 16%, $2.77 ROI with MSW first-time starters sprinting on dirt over the past two years; expecting speed from the gate.
Sixth Race
1. Smilensaycheese
2. Forgone
3. Brave Buck
Main question surrounding SMILENSAYCHEESE might be whether he will be able to hold his form for the new connections after being claimed out of an impressive win two starts back; don’t think that question was answered last time when he got stuck contesting the pace on a dead rail; dangerous in here if he can rebound. FORGONE missed time after debuting in a strong race as a 3yo; returned from the long layoff going a mile last March, where he was stuck contesting the pace before getting tired, and then missed more time; liked the way he established early position, before putting in a game finish to close down maiden claimers last time; interesting if he can improve again while finally putting races together. BRAVE BUCK has been in good form right along since basically being eased in a race he was claimed out of last summer; ran fine at this level last time while only second-best to favored Dormello; fits right back.
Seventh Race
1. Toxic Girl
2. Top of the Table
3. Rachel’s Rock
TOXIC GIRL probably ran the best race of her career when winning over this track and trip two starts back; got a wide, chasing trip behind a wire-to-wire winner last time; right back at the same level off the claim for Rice. TOP OF THE TABLE took a tough beat when getting nailed up the rail late after doing all the hard work on the pace in her first start at this level on New Year’s Day; can do it with or without the lead, and moving to the outside post gives her rider options. RACHEL’S ROCK owns all of the top figures in this field, and she is going to be tough if showing up with one of her top efforts in this spot; dropping sharply to make her first start off the claim, following a long layoff, might offer enough of a reason to take a shot against.
Eighth Race
1. Beck’s Dreamer
2. Freedom Maker
3. Enduring Angel
BECK’S DREAMER has the advantage of being a new face shipping in to face a field of maidens that have already had their chances, for the most part; dropping off the claim for Rice, but he might not need to improve at all in this spot. FREEDOM MAKER was only second-best as the favorite, and didn’t run a fast race, when dropped to this level last time; has much better races than that to get to, and he probably won’t go favored this time. ENDURING ANGEL is another lightly-raced option dropping in class for this; has lacked speed in his first two starts; cuts back a bit.
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