Discovery Handicap 2015 at Aqueduct

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 3 Discovery Handicap comes our way from Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York this Wednesday, November 11. Horses three years old will be featured when they take to Aqueduct's dirt track and race 1 1/8 miles for the winner's share of the $150,000 purse.

A field of seven will give it a go in the Discovery Handicap - race 8 on Aqueduct's Veteran's Day Wednesday card. Post time is 3:50 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all seven combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.

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2015 Discovery Handicap Race Favorites

Ocean Knight 2-1 - Kiaran McLaughlin trained colt has just five career starts with three wins and a second place finish. He won the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes in January in his second career start and went on to a seventh in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in March. He has just two starts since that result (no stakes) with an Allowance Optional Claiming score against older horses last time out at Belmont Park October 9 and a second in a similar race with a career best 96 Beyer Speed Figure at Saratoga August 30. Ocean Knight has been decent in his short career so far and will be after his second graded stakes score from gate 2 with Irad Ortiz guiding the tepid morning line favorite.

Madefromlucky 5-2 - multiple stakes winning Todd Pletcher trained colt has certainly been up and down in his career. He finished second in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes in March and won the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park in May and went on to a sixth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in June. He has just two starts since - a good win in the Grade 2 West Virginia Stakes August 1 and a disappointing seventh last time out in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx September 19. Madefromlucky seems to have a good result every second start - if the pattern holds true he should be OK this weekend. He has 11 career starts with four wins, two seconds and a third place finish, has three wins in five starts at this distance and will be looking for a strong bounce back this week with John Velazquez aboard the 122 pound highweight and morning line second choice from the rail.

Discovery Handicap 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Tommy Macho 4-1 - Todd Pletcher trained colt has placed in five of six career starts - two wins and three third place finishes. He enters off a decent third in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx September 19 after a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby in August, a third in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park in July and an Allowance score in June. Tommy Macho has been competitive in his career so far and looks for a first stakes win - from gate 6 with Javier Castellano in the reins.

Smart Transition 5-1 - has two wins, a second and a third place finish in seven career starts for trainer John Sherreffs. Last time out was a sixth in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga August 29 after a win in the minor Curlin Stakes in July and a fourth in his only other stakes action to date - the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes July 4. Smart Transition has placed in just one of his last three starts and looks to hit the board in graded stakes company for the first time when he leaves from the outside post 7. Junior Alvarado gets the mount.

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Made in Detroit 10-1 - has 10 career starts for trainer Richard Violette with two wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He makes his graded stakes debut Wednesday off an Allowance score at Belmont Park October 3, a seventh and a second respectively in a pair of Allowance races. Before those results were a fifth in the minor Pennine Ridge Stakes in May and a second in the minor Woodhaven Stakes in April. Made in Detroit looks for his first stakes win Wednesday with Joe Bravo in the irons from post 3.

First Spark 12-1 - Todd Pletcher trained colt has three wins in his five career starts but finished sixth in his only stakes action to date - the minor James W. Murphy Stakes at Pimlico May 16. He has since recorded two straight wins - both Allowance Optional Claiming races with the last one coming September 20 at Parx. First Spark has been good in his career and hopes for a breakthrough performance Wednesday when he lines up in post 5 with Jose Lezcano guiding him.

Total Joint 20-1 - Jason Servis trained gelding makes his graded stakes debut Wednesday off a third on an Allowance at Belmont Park October 3. Before that was a Starter Allowance score at Saratoga in August, a third in the minor Long Branch Stakes in July and a Maiden Claiming score in May. Total Joint has placed in four straight ahead of this week and could be a sneaky entry. Kendrick Carmouche gets the call from gate 4 Wednesday.


2015 Discovery Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Aqueduct's Wednesday card with a Post Time of 3:50 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Madefromlucky John Velazquez Todd Pletcher
5-2
2 Ocean Knight Irad Ortiz, Jr. Kiaran McLaughlin
2-1
3 Made in Detroit Joe Bravo Richard Violette, Jr.
10-1
4 Total Joint Kendrick Carmouche Jason Servis
20-1
5 First Spark Jose Lezcano Todd Pletcher
12-1
6 Tommy Macho Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher
4-1
7 Smart Transition Junior Alvarado John Shirreffs
5-1