Saturday Stakes – May 24, 2025

At Aqueduct on Saturday, we have The Paradise Creek at six furlongs on the grass. A competitive and relatively evenly matched field of 9 are scheduled to go to post.

I give a narrow lean-to Assertiveness. This colt turns back from two good races at a mile at two different tracks. Pletcher is very good when turning back and this colt had two wide draws in both his grass races. He should be in a good spot and save some ground in this one turn sprint. I think the west coast shipper Supersonic Blue is dangerous and he would be the next or I look at or use.

Out west at Santa Anita I like a bit of a stab in the 7th race The Melair at a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt. Lady Mendelssohn has been decent enough on the grass, but I like both the dirt breeding and perhaps more importantly the dirt workouts. The rail draw should allow her and Berrios to save ground and if she handles the main track and she just may there are no world beaters in here and she could upset this field at a nice price.

We will need a good share of luck but maybe we can hit an east coast west coast nice double.

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