Milton the Monster is the Stymie Stakes value play

A solid cast of seven will go postward in Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie S. at Aqueduct. The one-mile feature attracted a well-matched field in what appears to be a good betting race with multiple win contenders in the group.

#5 Milton The Monster (8-1) comes in off of a lifetime best allowance victory over a sloppy, sealed surface at Parx when registering a hefty 107 Brisnet Speed figure. The relatively lightly raced son of Jack Milton has displayed a lot of talent since arriving in the John Servis shedrow, winning or placing in each of his five starts for this outfit.

The five-year-old gelding has positional speed combined with a big turn of foot, and I believe that the one-turn distance in this heat is his ideal trip. While the chestnut has posted his two biggest wins to date over ‘off’ going, I feel that he can duplicate his success on any kind of surface while in peak form. He drilled a bullet five panels in advance of this tilt, and regular pilot Frankie Pennington comes in to retain the mount atop the Kentucky-bred.

I will include the pair of morning-line choices with my top selection in the exotics. #1 Green Light Go (6-5) was an accomplished juvenile, didn’t progress as I had expected in the next two seasons, but has turned the corner with the addition of blinkers in his last two performances. The bay son of Hard Spun prepared for Saturday with a fantastic allowance score on the course, posting a career best 102 Speed number in the process. Jimmy Jerkens pupil will be forcing the tempo from the start under Dylan Davis.

#2 Waxman (7-2) has finished first or second in each of his five lifetime tries for Pletcher, led by a pair of tallies in succession on the oval as of late. The well-bred son of Empire Maker has also responded to the addition of blinkers, and the four-year-old comes in fresh for a fine layoff barn, as well. Dark bay colt will stalk the pace early on with Lezcano in the stirrups.

Stymie Wagers

• $10 win and place #5 Milton the Monster ($20)
• $10 exacta box 1-5 ($20)
• $5 exacta box 2-5 ($10)