Pick for Saturday March 2, 2024:



WOW! -- I never thought that the Gotham is as wide an open race as it is.


I thought that El Grande O is the favorite and Lightlne is either second or third choice but looking at the morning line for both horses -- they're both at 8-1.

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!


Anyhow, let's go with my gut feeling and make the pick.



Gotham Stakes
1 Mile | Open | 3 Year Olds | G3 STAKES | PURSE: $300,000

Track: Aqueduct
Race: 10

Horse: Lightlne (ML 8-1).


Field (in post position order):

1. Khanate (ML 30-1)
2. Maximus Meridius (ML 20-1)
3. Deterministic (ML 9-2)
4. Facenda (ML 50-1)
5. Deposition (ML 50-1)
6. Air Cav (ML 30-1)
7. El Grande O (ML 8-1)
8. Bergen (ML 9-2)
9. Eliminate (ML 15-1)
10. Just a Touch (ML 5-2)
11. Lightline (ML 8-1)
12. Slider (ML 8-1)
13. Capital Idea (ML 12-1)



Bet Lightlne (ML 8-1) to win and place and show.

Yes, that is right: WIN/PLACE/SHOW using a triple down betting strategy and you should be going home as a winner (I hope).

Put some considerable amount of money on Lightlne to WIN/PLACE/SHOW to make it worthwhile and justified going to the racetrack.

Yes, this qualifies as my "Longshot Play of the Week" -- if not for the month, year, or century -- because I rarely pick longshots.

It's not my type of plays to play longshots (but only occasionally).

And this one is one of those rare occasions that I pick a longshot.

Take this easy money 8/1 (or at whatever the price is -- 4/1 is my guess) and leave the racetrack as a winner.