2016 Red Smith Handicap Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G3 Red Smith Handicap will be contested this Saturday, November 12 at Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, New York. A purse of $200,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to go 1 3/8 miles on Aqueduct's turf track.

A field of 11 plus one Main Track Only Entry will take to the track in the Red Smith Handicap - race 7 on Aqueduct's Saturday schedule. Post time is 3:17 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 12 combatants for this G3 stakes.

2016 Red Smith Handicap Entries at Aqueduct Racetrack

Wake Forest 8-5 - German bred Chad Brown Group 3 winner at home has seven wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in 17 career starts. He made his North American debut last August and finished sixth in the G1 Arlington Millions and was forced to the sidelines for eight months. He returned April 2 and posted a respectable second in the G2 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream and followed that with a terrific win in the G1 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park May 14. After that was an OK third in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 3, a disappointing tenth in the G1 Arlington Millions August 13, an OK second in the G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes September 17 and a decent third in the G1 Pattison Canadian International Stakes October 16. Wake Forest has been up-and-down but has placed in five of his last six starts ahead of this weekend. Javier Castellano gets the call on the morning line favorite from gate 8 hoping to maintain a decent run.

Messi 5-1 - German bred Graham Motion trained gelding has six wins, five seconds and two third place finishes in 21 career starts. He won the G3 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park last October and has been good at times and bad at others since. Last time out was a tenth in the G2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita October 2 after a good win in the G2 Sky Classic at Woodbine August 21 and consecutive third place finishes - the G3 Arlington Handicap July 9 and the G3 Fort Marcy Stakes at Belmont Park in May. Messi has placed in three of his last four starts overall and will be looking to bounce back off an ugly effort last time out. Edgar Prado has been tabbed to ride the co-second choice from post 7.

Danish Dynaformer 5-1 - Roger Attfield trained colt has five wins, a second and a third place finish in 17 career starts. He won the G3 Singspiel Stakes on this track in July - the only time he's placed in his last eight starts overall. Results over that span include a sixth last time out in the G1 Pattison Canadian International October 16, a fifth in the G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes September 17, another fifth in the G1 Arlington Millions, a sixth in the G1 Woodford Reserve Classic in May, a seventh in last year's G1 Pattison Canadian International and a sixth in last year's Northern Dancer. Outside of one start (four back) Danish Dynaformer has been underwhelming to say the least. He tries to channel his Singspiel form with John Velazquez in the saddle of the other co-second choice from post 11.

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Bigger Picture 6-1 - made his stakes debut four starts back for trainer Michael Maker and finished eighth in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 3. Before that were six wins, three seconds and a third place finish including two Allowance Optional Claiming races with the last coming at Belmont Park May 12. Last time out was a decent second in the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 20 after a fourth in the minor Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs September 8 and another Allowance Optional Claiming score at Saratoga August 12. Bigger Picture has won three of his last six starts and enters off a career-best second. Jockey Jose Ortiz will try to keep the upward trend going from post 9 Saturday.

Up With the Birds 8-1 - Canada's 2013 Horse of the Year and Champion 3 Year Old Colt, Malcolm Pierce trained multiple graded stakes winner has been up and down lately - a disappointing seventh last time out in the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 20 followed a third in the G3 Durham Cup at Woodbine September 24, another third in the G3 Sky Classic Stakes here August 21 and a good win in the G2 Nijinsky Stakes at Woodbine July 24 - a race that he also won in 2014. Also this year he had a sixth in the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational June 10, a fourth in the G1 Man o' War Stakes May 14, and a fifth in the G2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland April 23. Up With the Birds looks to snap a three race win streak and for his second win this year from post 5. Junior Alvarado rides.

Smooth Daddy 15-1 - placed in a couple of graded stakes races in 2014 but struggled after that. He has been decent lately however - a second last time out in an Allowance at Belmont Park July 8 followed another second in the G3 Fort Marcy Stakes on that track in May, a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming in March and a second and a win in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races. He has placed in four of seven stakes tries for Thomas Albertrani but will be out for his first stakes victory from gate 6 Saturday. Dylan Davis gets the mount.

Arties Silver Mine 15-1 - has seven career starts for trainer Reade Baker with three wins and a second place finish - all at Woodbine. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off an Allowance Optional Claiming score October 9 after a sixth in a similar race September 10, an Allowance score in April and a fourth in an Allowance a year ago. Arties Silver Mine steps up in so-so form and will have Irad Ortiz aboard from post 3.

Tale of Fancy 15-1 - Barclay Tagg trained colt has four wins, a second and two third place finishes in 14 career starts. He makes his stakes debut in decent form - a second last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Saratoga August 12 followed consecutive Allowance scores at Belmont Park, a third in an Allowance in May and two more wins in the spring. Tale of Fancy has been good against lesser competition and hopes that success translates in his step up Saturday. Manuel Franco rides from the outside gate 12.

Biz The Nurse 20-1 - Thomas Albertrani trainee has placed in 12 of 19 career starts - six wins, three seconds and a third place finish. He looked good in Italy before shipping in winning a Group 1 and two Group 2 races and placing in five other stakes and he did win an Allowance Optional Claiming in his first North American start at Gulfstream March 7, 2015. He hasn't been all that great since - an eighth last time out in the minor John's Call Stakes at Saratoga August 24 followed a third in the minor Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park in July, an eighth in the minor Belmont Gold Cup Invitational in June and a ninth in the G1 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park in May. Biz The Nurse looks for his first graded stakes score in North America Saturday in less-than-spectacular form when he leaves from gate 2 with Antonio Gallardo in the irons.

Rum Tum Tugger 30-1 - long distance specialist Jonathan Sheppard trained gelding has five wins, eighth seconds and five third place finishes in 31 career starts. He made his graded stakes debut two starts back and finished a respectable third in the G3 Kentucky Turf Cup September 10 after a seventh in the minor John's Call Stakes at Saratoga August 24, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming on that track August 12 and a twelfth in the minor Belmont Gold Cup Invitational June 10. Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance at Great Meadow October 22. He did win the minor Secretariat Stakes at Great Meadow in May but has been mostly unflattering. Rum Tum Tugger leaves from the rail with Jose Lezcano in the saddle.

I'll Call 30-1 - has three wins, six seconds and five third place finishes in 24 career starts for trainer Carlos Martin. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday in OK form - a sixth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Parx followed a second in the minor Alphabet Soups Handicap ion that track September 24, a third, a fourth and a fifth respectively in a trio of Allowance races this past summer. He looks for his first stakes score in his fourth try - from gate 4 with Kendrick Carmouche guiding him.

Tommy Macho 6-5 - Main Track Only Entry has placed in eight of 10 career starts - four wins, a second and three third place finishes. He won the G3 Discovery Handicap here to end his 2015 campaign and has been OK in three starts this year. Last time out was a fifth in the G2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park October 8 after eight months away, a good win in the G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream in February and a second in the minor Queens County Stakes here in December. Tommy Macho has been competitive nearly every time out and may line up to chase his third graded stakes score from gate 10.

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2016 Red Smith Handicap Odds & Entries

Race 7 on Aqueduct's Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:17 PM.