Top Contenders for the Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct

by Patricia Woo | Nov 16 2009

Even with the 2009 Breeders' Cup World Championships in the history books, there's still time to get in on some great horse betting action. The fall season of racing continues at Aqueduct on Saturday, Nov. 21 with the Gr. 3 $100,000-added Discovery Handicap for 3-year-olds at a distance of 9 furlongs. Among those nominated are Gone Astray, Burley's Gold and Haynesfield.

Looking to add to his two-race win streak is Gone Astray, a 3-year-old son of Dixie Union, who has come into his own in the latter part of the season. After winning an allowance race in April, Gone Asdtray has finished worse than third only once: a sixth place performance behind Munnings in the $250,000 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park in June. And since stretching out in distance, this Shug McGaughey trainee has tasted victory in two consecutive graded stakes races: the $1M Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park on Sept. 7 and the $150,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on Oct. 3. “He's changed since we started running him two turns,” McGaughey said. Gone Astray has a record of 8-3-3-1 and career earnings of $777,757 for Phipps Stable.

Patience is finally paying off for the connections of Burley's Gold, a quirky 3-year-old son of Touch Gold. With an unconventional running style, Burley's Gold has both frustrated and exhilarated trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., this year with his rollercoaster 2009 campaign. After breaking his maiden at Belmont Park in June, the Ohio-bred colt finished a dismal 10th in his first allowance race at Saratoga in August. He then bounced back with a strong win in his second try at an allowance race victory - this one at Belmont Park in September - before finally showing an upward trend in the Gr. 2 $150,000 Jerome Handicap, rallying to finish second behind Girolamo. Burley's Gold has a 2009 race record of 4-2-1-0 and $83,684 in earnings.

Haynesfield will be a familiar face for horse bettors who followed this year's crop of 3-year-olds on the road to the Kentucky Derby. One of the hottest horses early on the Triple Crown trail, Haynesfield strung together a series of impressive races starting in January with the $65,000 Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct and the $100,000 Whirlaway Stakes in February. But after a brutal 8th place finish in his first attempt at a graded stakes races - the $250,000 Gr. 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in March, Haynesfield was given a long layoff. He returned to racing on Oct. 2 in the $65,000 Sir Keys Stakes at Belmont Park, netting a runner-up finish and finally seems to have returned to that winning form with a victory in the$250,000 Empire Classic Stakes on Oct 24, also at Belmont Park. Trained by Steve Asmussen for Turtle Bird Stable, this son of Speightstown has a 2009 record of 5-3-1-0 and $270,916.

Who will win the 65th running of the Discovery Handicap? Bet on horse racing at Aqueduct with the Bodog Racebook!