Aqueduct begins stakes for three-year-olds

Horseracing Betting Lines

01/06/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Horsemen with horses stabled in the Northeast can begin thinking intently about where to run their three-year-olds leading to the Triple Crown races. This Saturday the first event at Aqueduct for Kentucky Derby hopefuls takes place with the running of the $150,000 Count Fleet Stakes.

"I think a $150,000 race puts you on the map, and this is a race that can be a stepping stone," said Art Magnuson, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, whose Alpha is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the mile and 70 yard Count Fleet. "We do think about the future with Alpha, and hope he's a Derby-type horse."

A son of 2006 champion three-year-old colt Bernardini, Alpha is owned by Godolphin Racing and has drawn post five in the seven-horse field. The colt has earned $90,000 in three starts, highlighted by a second-place finish behind Union Rags in the Champagne. In the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November the colt disappointed by finishing 11th to Hansen with favorite Union Rags finishing a head behind in second.

"We sent him to New York last Wednesday, and he worked very well this morning," said McLaughlin on Monday about Alpha who will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez. "We have several three-year-olds we think highly of, including Alpha and Consortium and some others who haven't started yet, and we're trying to split them up. We have had great success in New York with our runners during the winter. At the Breeders' Cup, he lost it in the gate, and we're hoping he will step up off that effort. He's a nice horse."

The 4-1 second choice is Chuck Russo's Il Villano who has Jose Flores riding from the inside post. Trained by Susan Crowell, the gray colt is the winner of three straight including the Lord Henribee Stakes at Aqueduct on November 6 and Southampton Stakes at Parx Racing on December 6. The three-year-old has banked $125,300, the most of the seven starters.

The only other stakes winner in the Count Fleet is Shkspeare Shaliya who won the Pilgrim on the turf at Belmont Park on October 2. The colt will break from the outside post with Jose Valdivia Jr. in the saddle.

"I have been wanting to try this horse on dirt," said trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal about the 10-1 shot. "I'm an Aqueduct person and I am a New Yorker; on top of that, he has a good turn of foot, and has Clever Trick in his breeding, which is why I chose this spot. The distance is a little short for him, but my whole dream is to give him a shot and see what he can do on dirt."

Shkspeare Shaliya last started in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf where he finished ninth at 9-1 in the 14-horse field. With two wins in four starts the colt has earned $96,700 and is the 122 pound highweight.

From the rail out here is the complete field for the Count Fleet: Il Villano, Jose Flores, 4-1; How Do I Win, Cornelio Velasquez, 12-1; Whistleblower, Ariel Smith, 20-1; Stephanoatsee, Junior Alvarado, 6-1; Alpha, Ramon Dominguez, 4-5; Speightscity, David Cohen, 8-1 and Shkspeare Shaliyah, Jose Valdivia Jr., 10-1.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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