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Veteran turfers top Red Smith lineup

Veteran turfers top Red Smith lineup
By New York Hot List Staff // Friday, November 20, 2020

As the days of turf racing in New York near an end for 2020, there’s a battle of the ages brewing. In Saturday’s Grade 3 Red Smith Stakes, the final graded turf stakes of the year for males in New York, the field of 11 is topped by a trio of veteran campaigners. Two of them are 7-year-olds in Sadler’s Joy and Aquaphobia, while Red Knight is a robust 6-year-old. Aside from their success and experience on the racetrack, they could deliver some déjà vu as Sadler’s Joy won the 2019 renewal with Red Knight finishing second.

Here’s the Hot List picks for the Red Smith:

The $100,000 Red Smith Stakes (G3), Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 9.

9th race – (8) Ziyad finished third in his first start for Graham Motion in the Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland when he closed from last place. The top four finishers from that race are entered in the Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct. In his other N. American race, he was third in the Canadian International (G1) in 2019, otherwise he raced in France in group 1 and 2 stakes. He should advance off the experience in American racing and training with Motion. (10) Red Knight won the Sycamore with a closing effort and he was second in this race last year for Bill Mott. His two recent races include a second in the Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) and have the two best speed figures of his career. (4) Sadler’s Joy has had bad luck lately. In his last two races he faced Channel Maker who went on to run third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). He was third behind him in the Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont. He crossed the finish line first in the Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga but was disqualified and placed fourth. He won the Red Smith last year and this will be his first start since then in a Grade 3. (9) Aquaphobia won the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth Park this summer. Last start, the Mike Maker trainee was seventh in the Sycamore after a troubled trip. Before that he was third behind Channel Maker in the Sword Dancer (G1).

The Red Smith is part of the Special Saturday Pick 3. That wager and the analysis of the other New York Hot List races are available free of charge at this website.