Courtesy of Mike Dempsey

About the only time we see a teenager compete in horse racing, they weigh around 112 pounds and often are called a bug boy.
There is a teenager running at the Big A on Wednesday, and will be carrying 123 pounds, including jockey Mike Luzzi.
Cool N Collective is a 13 year old gelding seeking the become the oldest horse to win a race in New York.
The gelding has not seen the inside of a winners circle since he was 11 years old, taking a restricted $4,000 claiming race at Suffolk.
The gelding will be making his 81st start today, a career that started on March 16, 2000 when he finished second in a maiden special weight race at Aqueduct.
He has collected $678,296 in purses in his career, winning 15 races including one stakes victory, taking the restricted Elgin Stakes at Woodbine back in Sept. of ’00.
The gelding has been ridden by more than 40 different jockeys, which seems in itself might be a record.
The Bruce Brown trainee will be a factor, coming off a good runner up finish against $7,500 claimers on Jan. 31.
The NYRA is reporting that according to the Thoroughbred Times, the oldest horses to win since 1976 are Behavin Jerry, who did so at age 17 in 1981 at Commodore Downs in Pennsylvania, and Golden Arrow, who won in 1978 at the Great Barrington Fair, also at age 17.
The oldest horse I can remember running is Hermosilla, who raced as a 15 year old and actually won four races in 2006 when he was 14 years old.
He raced four times as a 15 year old, unable to pick up a win. His last start came at Elko Fair on Aug. 26, 2007.
Cool N Collective will make us all feel younger if he gets the job done today.
Here is today's opening race from Aqueduct to get our day off to a good start:

AQU Race 1 Clm $7,500N2L (1:00 ET)
#2 Best Book 7/2
#8 Unveil the Mask 2/1
#5 Goodgollytmissdolly 6/1
#9 Eleni's Hope 15/1

Analysis: #2 Best Book dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish fifth last out in her first go off a 18 month layoff. The mare drops a notch in price here to the $7.5K level and figures to be tighter for her second start off the bench. She broke her maiden over the inner back in '08 for a $35K tag. The Jacobson barn is 5 for 10 (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a +180 day layoff.

#8 Unveil the Mask tracked the early pace and faded to finish sixth and last for a $25K tag. Note that outing came against the boys and now she drops in price to the $7.5K level while returning to face the gals. Two back she was a good third, beaten two lengths for the top spot against $25K non winners of two. The winner of the race was La Vida Vino, who came back to beat $25K non winners of three in her next start on Feb. 19. She makes her third start of her current form cycle while catching a much easier group here. She will be tough, but I am not expecting to see much of a price here.

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

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 5 Clm $10,000N2Y (2:56 ET)
#2 French Transition 5/2
#4 Cool N Collective 3/1
#7 Saratoga Lulaby 7/2
#8 Acclimate 6/1

Analysis: #2 French Transition drops into a softer spot here after a wide trip in a fifth place finish versus starter handicap foes last out. Two back this gelding was a game second against state bred Alw-2 optional claimers, beaten just 3/4 of a length for the top spot. He rolled over open $7.5K claimers three back. He should get a good stalking trip and he appears to have more finish than most of these, although his 1 for 27 record going back to the beginning of '09 is not exactly encouraging.

#4 Cool N Collective is a 13 year old, and the old timer is coming off a good second last out against open $7.5K foes. He set the early fractions but could not hold off #7 Saratoga Lulaby in the stretch while holding off the third place finisher in a photo. The third place finisher was Who Needs to Know, who came back to beat open $7.5K claimers in his next outing on Feb. 18.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 2/1 or better.
EX: 2,4 / 2,4,7,8
TRI: 2,4 / 2,4,7,8 / 2,4,6,7,8

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Aqueduct
R1: #9 Eleni’s Hope 15/1
R4: #3 Press Only 10/1
R6: #10 Last Mistake 15/1
R9: #4 Newyork’s Cutie 10/1

Good luck today!

AQU 2nd

6 Furlongs | Fillies and Mares | 4 Year Olds And Up Claiming ($15,000) | Purse: $18,000

Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 American Land Studart M Ubillo Rodrigo A 118 $15,000 Blk-On L 15-1
2 2 Im a Mosaic Rocker Lezcano A Miceli Michael 113 5 $15,000 L 4-1
3 3 Apple Chavez J F Contessa Gary C 118 $15,000 L 6-1
4 4 Hooked On Money Lopez A Gutierrez Luis A 111 7 $15,000 L 5-1
5 5 Sezzana Serpa A Bond Harold James 115 5 $15,000 L 7-5
6 6 Sister's Speed Musarro J Ruiz Manuel A 111 7 $15,000 L 8-1
7 7 Royal Valentine Samyn J L Aquilino Joseph 118 $15,000 L 12-1
8 8 Hello Gold Bocachica O D'Amelio Michael V 120 $15,000 L 15-1

Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (2-4) Pick 4 Races (2-5), Daily Double Wagers

Brian Blessing's Pick's 2-4-6

Im a Mosaic Rocker won impressively two weeks ago and should carry that solid form into this event. Look for her to sit just off the pace and pounce.

GPX 8th (4:43)

7 Furlongs | Open | 4 Year Olds And Up Allowance Optional Claiming ($62,500) | Purse: $51,000

Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 2 Just a Coincidence Bravo J Zito Nicholas P 120 Blk-On L 6-1
1A 6 Brave Victory Lopez P Zito Nicholas P 120 L 6-1
2 1 Fine Flyer Maragh R Proctor Thomas F 120 L 8-1
3 3 West Express Leparoux J R Kenneally Eddie 120 L 12-1
4 4 Caixa Eletronica Coa E M Suarez Sergio 120 $62,500 L 10-1
5 5 Checklist Velazquez J R Sciametta, Jr. A J 120 L 5-1
6 7 Mannington Trujillo E Pompay Terri 120 $62,500 L 8-1
7 8 Royal Vindication Castellano J J Brown Bruce R 120 L 3-1
8 9 Imperial Council Prado E S McGaughey III C R 120 L 5-2
9 10 Freedom Bay Velasquez C Kimmel John C 120 L 20-1

A-Coupled: Just a Coincidence and Brave Victory

Exacta / Trifecta / Superfecta / 10 Cent Superfecta / Daily Double (Races 8&9)

Battagliaspicks 8-7-6

#8 Imperial Council- Was ridden out to a very easy allowance win here in FEB before finishing second in the Gotham and 5th in the Wood behind I Want Revenge, who was the Derby favorite before he scratched. He ran here 4 weeks ago and finished 3rd only 2 lengths back in a badly needed tune up. He will be fit and ready today.

SA 7th (4:07)

1 Mile (Turf) | Fillies and Mares | 4 Year Olds And Up Allowance | Purse: $56,000

Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Skedee Atkinson P Jackson Bruce L 119 L 7-2
2 2 Restless Soul (GB) Amador S R Cecil B D A 117 L 12-1
3 3 Empressive Lady Gomez G K Mullins Jeff 117 L 6-1
4 4 Victoryasecret Talamo J Jenda Charles J 117 L 12-1
5 5 Chasin Dreams Bejarano R Jackson Bruce L 117 L 8-1
6 6 Meydan Princess (IRE) Flores D R Cassidy James 123 L 8-1
7 7 Exquisite (NZ) Espinoza V Gallagher Patrick 117 L 9-2
8 8 Century Park Garcia M Baffert Bob 117 L 6-1
9 9 You Lift Me Up Rosario J Hollendorfer Jerry 123 L 8-1
10 10 She's Cheeky Solis A Eurton Peter 117 L 8-1

$1 Exacta / $1 Trifecta $2 Rolling Double / $1 Superfecta (.10 Min.)

Battagliaspicks 3-9-7

#3 Empressive Lady-This front runner was hopelessly left at the gate to quote Trevor Denman, She was the 2-1 favorite and despite being 20 lengths behind she came running and missed by only 8 lengths. The favorite today was 20-1 that day and this one is a huge overlay.