The Jury: Expert Picks, Bets and Fades for Dec. 2 [Video]

Racing analysts Ashley Anderson, James Scully, and Darin Zoccali examine stakes races at Aqueduct, Turfway Park, and more. Ashley and James give their thoughts in the written portion below. Be sure to check out Darin's opinions in our on-camera portion as well!

Best Bet for Weekend Racing

Ashley Anderson:

#8 Spun Glass (8-1) in the Holiday Inaugural S., Saturday's sixth race at Turfway Park. The Hard Spun mare is dropping in class for Michael Trombetta and won the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion S. two back on Woodbine's all-weather at today's distance of six furlongs. The six-year-old posted a 94 Brisnet Speed figure in the effort, above the par winning number for today's race conditions, and she's 2-for-2 racing six furlongs on synthetic surfaces. I'll play Spun Glass — who will get last season's leading rider at Turfway, Gerardo Corrales — in an exacta with #12 Secret Money (6-1), winner of the Grade 3 Music City S. who will try all-weather after racing on turf, a winning move for trainer Brendan Walsh 20% of the time.

James Scully:

#7 Sierra Leone (4-1) in Saturday’s Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct is my best bet; his win first time out was more impressive than it looks on paper, and if the youngster keeps moving forward from a mental standpoint, the dark bay colt appears to have a high ceiling. By Gun Runner, the $2.3 million two-year-old purchase made his career debut going a mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 4 and took plenty of kickback in traffic after the break. He was bottled up in traffic leaving the far turn, and after swinging wide in upper stretch, Sierra Leone acted like a goofball racing in-and-out with his head sideways. The jockey just tried to keep his mount straight while the dark bay colt finished powerfully on his own accord, gobbling up ground and rivals to score going away by 1 1/2 lengths, and the race earned solid Brisnet numbers. Sierra Leone looks poised to benefit greatly from the learning experience.

Top Fade for Weekend Racing

AA: 

#3 Dornoch (5-2) in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, Race 9 on Saturday. The full-brother to Mage closed at 19-1 in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), which I thought was a bit low this early on considering his resume. He broke his maiden in his third start by more than six lengths, but the field came back a bit suspect. Only one of the runners who put in another start since managed to finish in the money, with a second, so I'll look elsewhere in the Kentucky Derby prep on Saturday. The field is loaded, with a pair of Chad Brown runners who broke their maiden at Aqueduct, and Brad Cox and Todd Pletcher boast strong contenders in Drum Roll Please and Moonlight, respectively. #8 Where's Chris (?) is another interesting runner for Richard Dutrow, who's winning at a 30% clip at Aqueduct. The Twirling Candy colt is coming off a victory in the one-mile Nashua at this track on Nov. 5 and beat a couple of today's rivals in the effort.

JS:

#5 Three Coins (7-2) in Saturday’s seventh race at Turfway Park is my best fade. The six-year-old mare is a clear choice on the morning line but doesn’t like to win, recording 12 seconds and five thirds along with a lone victory from 36 starts. The $15,000 claimer looks ripe for an upset, so I’ll play against Three Coins at projected short odds.

What Else Is Worth Noting

AA:

Fair Grounds will host the 25th Claiming Crown on Saturday, comprised of the country's top claiming-level horses, with a share of $1 million in purses up for grabs in a group of races run under starter-allowance conditions. Notably, United Nations (G1) winner Therapist will represent Mike Maker, who has seven entries on the card, in the Claiming Crown Emerald (Race 9), while Robertino Diodoro has entered seven, including a trio in the Claiming Crown Jewel (Race 10). Among Diodoro's contingent in the race is #3 Saqeel (3-1) and Steve Sexton Mile (G3) winner #5 Frosted Grace (7-2), but I'm most interested in his recent acquisition, #4 King's Ovation (4-1), who was claimed by Diodoro off a 5 1/4-length, gate-to-wire victory in a 1 1/16-mile claimer at Keeneland on Oct. 27. Diodoro is a 23% winner first start off the claim and a 22% winner with shippers, and Ricardo Santana Jr. is 2-for-8 paired with Diodoro over the last two months. I'll back the Not This Time five-year-old in the Claiming Crown Jewel.

JS:

Twelve are set for Saturday’s Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct and I think it’s wide open. A couple top contenders, Everso Michievous and Accretive, are exiting a Forty Niner S. (G2) in late October where if they ran the race three times, it would have three different winners by my estimation. I’m not keen on confirmed one-run closer Senor Buscador, who has never raced in New York, danced every big dance in Southern California this fall, and must rebound after failing to be a serious factor in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). I will avoid the short price on those runners and mention #11 Hoist the Gold, who has earned triple-digit Brisnet Speed ratings winning his last two starts outside of California and continues to train forwardly for Dallas Stewart. He will be used in multi-race wagers along with #7 Three Technique and #9 Castle Chaos.