Stogie’s Horse Racing Picks for Friday, March 21, 2025
Aqueduct Race 5
- 6 Solo’s Fury got some much-needed freshening last out when finishing 3rd at this level at this 6 furlong distance. Gelding was making his first start in over 4 months. His work tab looks solid since his third-place finish. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart hits 25% winners when his runners make their second start off the bench. Win Contender
- 4 Iron Man Ira drops in class for trainer Dick Dutrow after finishing 3rd versus a tougher group of animals. Gelding should benefit from the cutback on distance today and gets a jockey upgrade to Jockey Manny Franco. Win Contender
- 5 Wajda exits from a dominating Maiden win where this Linda Rice trainee won by 4- lengths. This 4-year-old will need to move forward to defeat this group today, he just might be up to the task Don’t Ignore
Selections 6-4-5-10
Oaklawn Park Race 9
- 2 Dreaminginblue was no match when trying Graded company off an impressive Maiden win. Colt finished a disappointing 6th in the Grade 2 Rebel at a mile and a sixteenth. He now gets back to his preferred distance of 6 furlongs, where he broke his Maiden by over 3 lengths. He fits well with these. Top Pick
- 6 Perfect Force was last seen breaking his Maiden over this dirt track here at Oaklawn. Colt took 8 starts to finally get his pic taken, but he’s faced some salty runners in those Maiden races. If he repeats that number he ran last out, he’ll be right there at the wire. Win Contender
- 3 Optical is an intriguing long shot. He hasn’t shown much in his two starts in 2025, a 12th-place finish two back in the G3 Lecomte and a tiring 6th-place finish last out on the turf. I’m going to draw a line through both those races as he was racing on the slop in the G3 and on the turf most recently. Colt showed some promise last year and ran well in one-turn-mile distances at Churchill. I believe he’ll relish the sprint distance and the likely fast strip today. Finally, the last time this Colt went from turf to dirt, he was a 14-length winner, just saying. Live Longshot
Selections 2-6-3-8
Fair Grounds Race Fair Grounds Race 8
- 3 Hey Bertie was a debut winner here in the dirt for trainer Cherie DeVaux. Filly tries the green today off the Maiden win. Gal’s pedigree suggests she’ll take to the weeds today. I don’t usually like taking a Maiden winner versus winners but there are no world-beaters in this race and this Filly has been training extremely well, highlighted by a 1/114 bullet. Top Pick
- 4 Likely Perspective hasn’t seen race day since October 24’ when he finished an even 6th on the turf at Keeneland. This Filly broke her maiden in her debut at 7 furlongs on the All-Weather surface at Kempton Park. Filly gets first-time lasix today and the work tab looks tight. Live Longshot
- 1 Flirting With Time has some sharp early speed and draws the rail today. Filly stumbled at the break last out versus much tougher in the Grade 3 Matron at the Big A. She was still able to grab the lead that day then tired in the stretch drive. She has the potential to take this group gate-to-wire today if she’s near 100% fit. My concern is the extended layoff, she might need a race. Use with Caution
Selections 3-4-1-8
