Expert Pick of the Week: 2023 Remsen Stakes

Dec 01, 2023 John Mucciolo

An excellent field of 10 juvenile prospects will travel 1 ⅛ miles over the Aqueduct main strip in Saturday’s $250,000 Remsen S. (G2). The 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series tilt will reward the top five finishers with qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 structure towards the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Conditioner Chad Brown has a pair of dangerous youngsters coming off of maiden victories, and I expect both of his entrants to run well on Saturday. Sierra Leone gave a fine account of himself in his debut, when the pricey colt overcame a poor break to go clear late from a nice one in taking a one-mile maiden special weight event on the surface. The $2.3 million yearling purchase has trained well in the interim, and he figures to thrive with the move to nine furlongs, as well. He is the Expert Pick of the Week.

Sierra Leone is the first foal to have run out of the stakes-winning Heavenly Love, and the son of Gun Runner looks to be following in her footsteps. The March foal is bred to run all day and did his best work late at first asking to hint that this trip will suit him perfectly at this stage of his development. Kentucky-bred colt inherits pilot Jose Ortiz and will be moving to the fore in the stretch against the talented field.

Brown’s Domestic Product appreciated both the added distance, and the addition of blinkers, when graduating in style at the trip in his second lifetime assignment. The dark bay son of Practical Joke closed with excellent energy in that triumph, and having a race at 1 ⅛ miles prior to Saturday seems like a healthy thing for the Klaravich homebred. Manny Franco, who guided the colt home to victory most recently, will retain the ride.

#8 Liberal Arts and @cristaintorr64 take the G3 Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs for trainer Robert Medina, earning 10 points towards the 150th Kentucky Derby! 🏆

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/b8KXFCO0E5

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 29, 2023

The Todd Pletcher-trained Moonlight finished second as the favorite in the Street Sense S. (G3) beneath the Twin Spires in his latest endeavor and the son of Audbile is an obvious contender with improvement in this spot. Kentucky-bred gray brought $285,000 in the spring and has put forth a trio of positive races to begin his career, which includes a fine maiden win at Aqueduct two prior. The March foal has posted a trio of nice morning drills in anticipation of this one and will have Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the silks.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #7 Sierra Leone on top of #2 Domestic Product and #4 Moonlight in the 2023 Remsen Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.