A single and a longshot for Aqueduct’s $18,240 Pick 6 carryover

Editor's note: Aqueduct has since canceled Sunday as well, citing the frigid temperatures. 

Following the cancellation of Saturday’s card due to cold weather, racing returns to Aqueduct on Sunday with an $18,240 carryover up for grabs in the $1 Pick 6.

Planning to play along, but not sure where to begin? We’ve got you covered with a live longshot and a suggested single to build tickets around:

Live longshot: Race 6: #5 Scoop the Pot (6-1)

This $20,000 maiden claimer for three-year-olds racing one mile hasn’t come up overly deep, so the New York-bred Scoop the Pot has a chance to surprise in his first start as a gelding.

Scoop the Pot failed to factor in his first two starts on turf, but he ran better when switching to dirt in a $30,000 maiden claimer for New York-breds on Dec. 2 at Aqueduct. Racing over a muddy track that played strongly in favor of speed horses, Scoop the Pot dropped back to eighth place early on, but steadily passed rivals to finish fourth.

Assuming Scoop the Pot encounters a fair track on Sunday, he’s eligible to move forward in a big way. Don’t leave him off your Pick 6 tickets.

Best single: Race 9: #7 J D Factor (2-1)

Nine horses have entered this one-mile maiden special weight for three-year-olds, and while there are a couple of first-time starters in the mix, morning line favorite J D Factor appears to have the form lines to conquer all comers.

J D Factor never challenged in his debut sprinting six furlongs over a sloppy track at Aqueduct, racing off the pace on his way to sixth place. But he was only beaten three lengths and actually gained a couple of lengths through the final furlong.

This effort foreshadowed significant improvement when stretching out for a one-mile maiden special weight over a fast track at Aqueduct. Breaking from the rail, J D Factor seized the early lead, carved out decent fractions of :23.42 and :46.81, and fought on down the homestretch to finish second by a neck against next-out Mucho Macho Man S. winner Otello.

J D Factor pulled 4 1/4 lengths clear of the third-place finisher and earned a flashy 91 Brisnet Speed rating, easily the highest number belonging to any of the experienced runners in Sunday’s field. Jockey Jose Gomez and trainer Rick Dutrow have won at a 31% rate teaming up together over the last two months, so all signs suggest J D Factor is a compelling single to conclude the Pick 6.

Good luck!