Cigar Mile Day is here and so is the mandatory Empire 6 payout of close to $600,000!! There are 6 stakes races as this fantastic day kicks off at a special 11:30 AM first post-time. There are also three maiden special weight (MSW) races that I’ve previewed to help make this day even more special.
Belmont Park Fall Meet Statistics
| Races | Top 4 Wins | Top 4 Exactas | Top 4 Trifectas | Top 4 Supers |
| 62 | 46 | 33 | 19 | 6 |
| Races | Top 4 Wins | Top 4 Exactas | Top 4 Trifectas | Top 4 Supers |
| 27 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
Race 1: $70,000 MSW for 2-year-olds going 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the dirt
It’s very obvious that #9 Cost Basis is the horse to beat in this spot, and I won’t be one of the courageous bettors trying to beat him. He made his debut at Saratoga on August 17 and didn’t do much running. Last time out in a 12-horse field, he took the lead at the top of the stretch bur Sonneman caught him late and ruined a masterful performance. Irad Ortiz is back aboard and look for this colt to win with ease.
Ricky’s Picks: 9-8-1-6
Race 5: $70,000 MSW for 2-year-olds going 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the dirt
This 10-horse field only has 16 races combined between them, which helps to make this race very intriguing. #1 Default Rate for Chad Brown crossed the finish line first in his debut at Monmouth Park but was disqualified to fourth for coming in the stretch. In his most recent effort, he finished third by 2 1/2 lengths behind Bellavia and Secret Rules who won next time out. I don’t see this colt by Carpe Diem being 3/1 by post-time but anything close to that provides great value.
Ricky’s Picks:1-9-5-4
Race 7: $70,000 MSW for 2-year-olds going 6 furlongs on the dirt
Only on Cigar Mile Day at the Big A will racing fans witness a 12-horse field in a 6-furlong sprint. Bill Mott has had a very nice meet up to this point and his colt #1 King Khozan is my top choice in here. Khozan, his sire, was 2-2 and on his way to big and better things but his career got cut short due to injury. King Khozan has looked amazing in the mornings and looks to be the horse to beat. I don’t see this colt being anywhere close to 8/1 at post-time and needs to be included on multi-race wagers.
Ricky’s Picks: 1-12-10-8
Good luck to everyone playing and be sure to follow me on Twitter @RickyP_15 for more NYRA race previews as we take a look at Aqueduct!
If you want further information on the other races for each card at Aqueduct and beyond, you can check the Racing Dudes’ Free Picks page or subscribe to their Premium Selections and get detailed analyses for every race, every card, every track around the country.
