The Grade 2 Bed of Roses 2024
The Belmont Festival is over and in the books. We hope you enjoyed all the coverage AmWager and Past the Wire TV brought you. I don’t think anyone out there had more or better guests or anything close to all the insight to the races we provided. AmWager made it all possible.
Now let’s see if we can heat things up again in the Grade 2 Bed of Roses at Aqueduct or if you prefer Belmont at Aqueduct. For me Aqueduct is Aqueduct.
That said the Bed of Roses came up a competitive race. We have a decent field with plenty of options so there should be fair process to choose from.
Apple Picker goes from the rail, not the best spot to ne going out of a seven-furlong chute. She does drop back and make a run however so that should help with her trip. Johnny V rides for Brittany Russell. She is a bit slower than some of these, but I wouldn’t be shocked if she gave a decent account of herself. She is 5 for 14 so she knows where the wire is.
Big Pond looks very dangerous. She makes her second start in the Mott barn after running a big second in The Vagrancy in her first. She sits just off the pace and while I would rather see her drawn outside with that style this Cal-Bred can sit a nice trip here and run a big one.
Accede is another threat. She won her comeback race as a four-year old easily and is three for three on Lasix which she won’t get here. Her connections, Juddmonte, Chad Brown, and Irad Ortiz assure plenty of money in the win and top spots in the multi race wagers. While I respect her and the connections, I think someone will be better than her in here.
Morning Matcha has beaten up New York Breds and Pennsylvania Breds in her last two starts and both races are good enough to be very competitive here. She has handled Aqueduct in the past and run her share of races that would put her square in this. She looks as good as ever at 5 and if she can repeat either of her last two, she is yet another contender.
Just Katherine is by the red hot Justify and has shown some ability. She has yet to run good enough to handle these and I don’t see anything that jumps out at me which indicates she is sitting on a career race. She’d need one to win here.
Flying Connection moves to the Rob Atras barn which does well with new acquisitions. This is a classy filly who is 7 for 15 lifetime against decent company. She is a nice fir here and projects a good trip and should also have plenty of gas in the tank based on plenty of longer races. She looks like a major player to me.
Hot Fudge is yet another mare who knows how to win races at 8 for 15 lifetime. She goes out for Linda Rice and is versatile being able to go to the top or come from off the pace. She loves Aqueduct and is 6 for 9 here. I think she may be a cut below a few of these but I’d also say she would not be a surprise of she were able to get this job done.
Shidabuti is another from Chad Brown. She also loves Aqueduct at 3 for 5. She is 4 for 8 lifetime and has some class to her. I’m not sold she is fast enough to beat these at 7 furlongs.
Yet another Aqueduct lover in Leave No Trace who is 2 for 3 here. She is on a two-race roll and is well drawn for a nice stalking type trip. She was good enough to run second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile back in 2022 so we know she fits.
Beguine has speed and should be part of the tussle up front early but likely won’t have much left in the tank when things get serious.
Like I said a very competitive race with plenty of ways to go. All these Aqueduct lovers are scary, but I think I will take a shot with Flying Connection. I think on her best she is good enough and I like the trip I project for her and the bottom she should have from the longer races. This is one tough race that should be fun to watch. I wouldn’t talk anyone out of almost anybody in here.
