(Friday, December 11) Saturday’s $100,000 Queens County Handicap (G3) is the final graded stake in New York until March, and West Virginia connections are back looking for a repeat.

Jeff Runco has been a top trainer at Charles Town for decades, but won his first graded stake with Researcher in last year’s running of the Queens County, and is back for more with his five year old gelding, who is the 5/2 morning line favorite.

A field of eight will line up, including millionaires Naughty New Yorker and Honour Devil.

The co-feature on the card is the $65,000 Snit Stakes, which was originally scheduled to run on Wednesday, but rains and gusty winds wiped out the card.

Runco has a shot of sweeping the stakes, sending out a live longshot in Saxet Heights in the Snit.

The four-year-old filly took the My Sister Pearl Stakes in her last outing going nine furlongs in the mud around the tight turns at the West Virginia track. The runner up in the race was Beware of the Bop, who came back to beat allowance foes in her next outing at Charles Town on Dec. 5.

The filly comes into this race in the sharpest form of her career and gets the services of jockey Alan Garcia.

Her main rival might be the Maryland invader Love’s Cove. The three-year-old filly coming off a smart looking win against Maryland breds in the All Brandy Stakes last out at Laurel Park in the slop.

Travis Dunkleberger is in to ride for the sharp Rodney Jenkins barn.

There is plenty of action for simulcast players on Saturday.

Among the action is the return of Lava Man in the $100,000 Native Diver Handicap (G3) at Hollywood Park, it is Louisiana Champions Day at Fair Grounds featuring eleven stakes with purses of over $1.1 million, and it is opening day at Tampa Bay Downs.

Let’s head out to the Big A for today’s feature:

Aqueduct Race 8 Queens County Handicap (G3) Post time 3:44 ET

#2 Researcher 5/2
#8 Storm Play 3/1
#4 Honour Devil 5/1
#6 Rodman 4/1

#2 Researcher is back from West Virginia to defend his title in the Queens County he won last year, giving trainer Jeff Runco his first graded stake. The gelding prepped with a runner up finish in the Mountaineer Mile where he checked in second as the beaten chalk. He did draw a tough post that day and raced wide much of the trip. Two back the gelding earned a career top winning the HBPA Governors Cup at Charles Town by 14 ¼ lengths. The gelding has won half of his 22 career starts and popped a bullet work on Nov. 28. He figures to bounce back with a better effort here and this field does not look as deep as the group he beat last year.

#8 Storm Play was the beaten chalk last out against Alw-3 optional claimers in his first start off a 10-month break. This guy showed some serious promise as a three year old with back to back triple digit Beyers beating Alw-1 foes, then winning the Best of Luck Stakes in the mud here last October. Pletcher gives this guy three months off since his return, which does not exactly look like a good sign, but the fact he sticks him here in stakes company is. The colt owns solid early and mid pace numbers and his best shot might be if he is able to shake loose early. With Johnny V. landing on our top pick, perhaps that 3/1 morning line might drift up a few points.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 9/5 or better.
EX: 2,8 / 2,4,6,8
TRI: 2,8 / 2,4,6,8 / 2,4,6,7,8