How to bet the 2023 Say Florida Sandy Stakes

A compact field of five New York-bred runners will travel seven furlongs on the Aqueduct dirt in Sunday’s $100,000 Say Florida Sandy S. Each of the contenders makes a lot of sense in the well-matched field, but I will take my chances with #1 My Boy Tate (5-2) for conditioner Michelle Nevin.

The nine-year-old has picked up eight of his 11 lifetime wins on the Aqueduct surface and was a powerful winner of the Hudson S. two races prior on the oval to prove that he still has a lot left in the tank. By Boys At Tosconova, the gelding finished first but was disqualified to fourth in this test last campaign, and I expect him to put forth another big showing on his favorite surface under Manny Franco.

My Boy Tate comes off a third-place finish in the mud in his latest venture and offers a bit of value in the small field. The dark bay possesses a fine turn of foot and figures to receive a good trip, saving ground from the rail throughout the heat. He sports a solid 13-5-2-2 at seven-eighths and will be tough to fend off with his best showing.

Multiple stakes victor #4 Wudda U Think Now (9-5) ran a pair of "freakish" races over this strip last season and is 6-for-10 overall at Aqueduct. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the Fast Anna gelding comes off a fine stakes win locally when handling a muddy, sealed surface in the Alex Robb S. going one mile, and the six-year-old seems like a perfect fit on the cutback to seven panels on this occasion. The bay is arguably the quickest runner in the field and will either take command early, or prompt the pace from second, beneath Dylan Davis.

Wudda U Think Now will be making his second run off the short absence and looms large with something resembling his career best. If he is allowed to establish slow splits, then the $60,000 yearling purchase will be especially difficult to run down. I will use him in all of my multi-race wagers, as well.

Say Florida Sandy Wagers

• $30 win #1 My Boy Tate ($30)
• $10 exacta box 1-4 ($20)