At the Gate - Sunday
Saturday?s $750,000 Virginia Derby (G2) was a virtual replay of the Colonial Turf Cup (G3), a head separating the top two finishers in both races, with one now in line for a $5 million bonus while the other is just a bridesmaid.
Battle of Hastings was a head better than Straight Story once again, winning the second leg of the Jacobs Investments Grand Slam of Grass.
Two down and two to go for the Mike House owned and Jeff Mullins trained Battle of Hastings.
If the gelding can win the Secretariat Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park followed by a victory in the Breeders? Cup Turf (G1), the Grand Slam would be worth a $5 million payday.
The gelding was expected to go off as the favorite with the scratch of Nicanor, but my top pick Hold Me Back took all the money, sent off at 8/5.
The Bill Mott trainee was trying turf for the first time and came with a four wide run coming into the stretch but ran out of gas and finished fifth.
Midstretch I still thought we would knock down our recommended exacta, as Straight Story was my second choice.
The colt drew clear in the stretch and looked like he was not going to get caught, but Tyler Baze had other ideas aboard Battle of Hastings.
The gelding closed strongly and got up in the final stride to prevail by a head, returning $9.20 for the win.
The exacta returned a very generous $51.20.
At Belmont Park, I failed to come up with Silver Timber, who won the Jaipur (G3), which cost me a couple of nice Pick 3?s and the Pick 4.
I did have four winners on top in the other nine races on the card, and we managed a modest 6% +ROI for the day with my top picks.
Sunday?s feature is the $65,000 A Gift Stakes, a 1 1/16 mile turf race for three year olds.
While Laureate Conductor is the 2/1 morning line favorite coming off a win in the $50,000 Choice Stakes, I?m leaning toward Courageous Cat, who makes his first start against winners for hall of fame trainer Bill Mott.
Here is today's opener from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Clm $20,000 (1:00 ET)
#3 Incalzando 4/1
#4 A.P. Eddie 7/2
#1 Fuhrever Dancing / #1a Hurricane Heat 5/2
#7 Golden Age 3/1
Analysis: #3 Incalzando returns off a two month break and makes his first start for the Maker barn that is 31% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. Last out the gelding tracked the early pace from the inside and weakened in the stretch to finish third behind a loose on the lead gate to wire winner. The runner up in the race was Marina Market, who returned to beat $25K claimers in his next outing on June 20. Fourth place finisher Freddy the Cap was also a next out winner, taking a state bred Alw-2 optional claimer. Returns for the same tag he was taken for and the barn is solid bringing runners back off the bench, hitting at a 26% clip (with a ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff.
#4 A.P. Eddie tracked the early pace, engaged the front-runner in the stretch and battled on gamely, unable to match strides late and landing second. The winner was Nkosi Reigns, who returned to beat $25K claimers by 8 3/4 lengths in his next outing, The Dutrow runner owns the top last out speed fig and a solid pace profile throughout.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 3,4 / 1,3,4,7
TRI: 3,4 / 1,3,4,7 / 1,3,4,6,7
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 9 A Gift S. (5:17 ET)
#3 Courageous Cat 4/1
#6 Laureate Conductor 2/1
#2 Hello Broadway 9/5
#1 Al Khali 10/1
Analysis: #3 Courageous Cat faces winners for the first time here after breaking his maiden in his fourth career start and second on turf. The colt has looked better with each start and should have no problem handling the extra ground. The Mott colt has a super pedigree, by Storm Cat out of the multiple graded stakes winner Tranquility Lake ($1.6 million), a nine-time turf winner. The mare has dropped a coupler of stakes winners, After Market ($903K) and Jalil ($332K). Looking for this colt to have his coming out party here.
#6 Laureate Conductor won the Choice Stakes last out at Monmouth Park in his first start against winners. He did not beat a very tough group and only had to handle four foes in that win. This is a tougher group here, although the way the Clement barn is going here, we can't dismiss his chances.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 5/2 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 2,3,6
TRI: no play
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.
Belmont Park
R2: #1 Trippo 8/1
R3: #1 Go Lex Go 8/1
R3: #3 Charing Cross 12/1
R4: #6 Justify 12/1
R5: #4 triple Tax Exempt 12/1
R6: #6 Jelly Roll Rumble 8/1
R7: #1 Musical Splendor 8/1
R9: #1 Al Khali 10/1
R10: #7 Peterdidit 10/1
Good luck today!
Saturday?s $750,000 Virginia Derby (G2) was a virtual replay of the Colonial Turf Cup (G3), a head separating the top two finishers in both races, with one now in line for a $5 million bonus while the other is just a bridesmaid.
Battle of Hastings was a head better than Straight Story once again, winning the second leg of the Jacobs Investments Grand Slam of Grass.
Two down and two to go for the Mike House owned and Jeff Mullins trained Battle of Hastings.
If the gelding can win the Secretariat Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park followed by a victory in the Breeders? Cup Turf (G1), the Grand Slam would be worth a $5 million payday.
The gelding was expected to go off as the favorite with the scratch of Nicanor, but my top pick Hold Me Back took all the money, sent off at 8/5.
The Bill Mott trainee was trying turf for the first time and came with a four wide run coming into the stretch but ran out of gas and finished fifth.
Midstretch I still thought we would knock down our recommended exacta, as Straight Story was my second choice.
The colt drew clear in the stretch and looked like he was not going to get caught, but Tyler Baze had other ideas aboard Battle of Hastings.
The gelding closed strongly and got up in the final stride to prevail by a head, returning $9.20 for the win.
The exacta returned a very generous $51.20.
At Belmont Park, I failed to come up with Silver Timber, who won the Jaipur (G3), which cost me a couple of nice Pick 3?s and the Pick 4.
I did have four winners on top in the other nine races on the card, and we managed a modest 6% +ROI for the day with my top picks.
Sunday?s feature is the $65,000 A Gift Stakes, a 1 1/16 mile turf race for three year olds.
While Laureate Conductor is the 2/1 morning line favorite coming off a win in the $50,000 Choice Stakes, I?m leaning toward Courageous Cat, who makes his first start against winners for hall of fame trainer Bill Mott.
Here is today's opener from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Clm $20,000 (1:00 ET)
#3 Incalzando 4/1
#4 A.P. Eddie 7/2
#1 Fuhrever Dancing / #1a Hurricane Heat 5/2
#7 Golden Age 3/1
Analysis: #3 Incalzando returns off a two month break and makes his first start for the Maker barn that is 31% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. Last out the gelding tracked the early pace from the inside and weakened in the stretch to finish third behind a loose on the lead gate to wire winner. The runner up in the race was Marina Market, who returned to beat $25K claimers in his next outing on June 20. Fourth place finisher Freddy the Cap was also a next out winner, taking a state bred Alw-2 optional claimer. Returns for the same tag he was taken for and the barn is solid bringing runners back off the bench, hitting at a 26% clip (with a ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff.
#4 A.P. Eddie tracked the early pace, engaged the front-runner in the stretch and battled on gamely, unable to match strides late and landing second. The winner was Nkosi Reigns, who returned to beat $25K claimers by 8 3/4 lengths in his next outing, The Dutrow runner owns the top last out speed fig and a solid pace profile throughout.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 3,4 / 1,3,4,7
TRI: 3,4 / 1,3,4,7 / 1,3,4,6,7
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 9 A Gift S. (5:17 ET)
#3 Courageous Cat 4/1
#6 Laureate Conductor 2/1
#2 Hello Broadway 9/5
#1 Al Khali 10/1
Analysis: #3 Courageous Cat faces winners for the first time here after breaking his maiden in his fourth career start and second on turf. The colt has looked better with each start and should have no problem handling the extra ground. The Mott colt has a super pedigree, by Storm Cat out of the multiple graded stakes winner Tranquility Lake ($1.6 million), a nine-time turf winner. The mare has dropped a coupler of stakes winners, After Market ($903K) and Jalil ($332K). Looking for this colt to have his coming out party here.
#6 Laureate Conductor won the Choice Stakes last out at Monmouth Park in his first start against winners. He did not beat a very tough group and only had to handle four foes in that win. This is a tougher group here, although the way the Clement barn is going here, we can't dismiss his chances.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 5/2 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 2,3,6
TRI: no play
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.
Belmont Park
R2: #1 Trippo 8/1
R3: #1 Go Lex Go 8/1
R3: #3 Charing Cross 12/1
R4: #6 Justify 12/1
R5: #4 triple Tax Exempt 12/1
R6: #6 Jelly Roll Rumble 8/1
R7: #1 Musical Splendor 8/1
R9: #1 Al Khali 10/1
R10: #7 Peterdidit 10/1
Good luck today!
