At the Gate - Thursday
Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra will face just four foes in Saturday?s $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, and likely will be the overwhelming favorite.
The morning line odds on the filly are 1/5.
The news on Wednesday occurred during a teleconference with majority owner Jess Jackson, who said Rachel Alexandra would not compete in the Breeders? Cup this year, which makes a showdown with the undefeated Zenyatta unlikely.
Jackson said among the races where she might compete include Delaware Handicap on July 19, the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park on July 25, the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2, as well as the Alabama on Aug. 22, or the Travers on Aug. 29, both of those races coming up at the Saratoga meeting.
Jackson is not afraid to take on the boys and said that it is likely the filly will have a campaign next year as a four year old.
What she won?t do is race on the fake stuff, the Pro Ride surface at Santa Anita.
"I just don't want to risk her, " Jackson said. "You may not think it's a risk, but I saw what Curlin did and how he struggled and I saw four or five other horses that raced on plastic and they struggled. If it's a dirt horse, it's a dirt horse."
That will deal the Breeders? Cup a potential huge blow by missing out on a showdown among the two best female runners in training.
The Breeders? Cup has nobody but themselves to blame for scheduling racing?s marquee event at the same venue two years in a row.
It would be no surprise to see connections of other top dirt horses skipping racing?s so called championship day.
What needs to happen is the championships need to be decided on dirt, not as Jackson puts it, on "plastic."
To purchase my full card report for Belmont Park that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today click here.
Here is today's opener from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Clm $25,000 (1:00 et)
#2 Hailey Keen 4/1
#8 Blitzenfoxyvixsin 7/2
#3 Tide Runner 6/1
#7 Boss Tiffany 4/1
Analysis: #2 Hailey Keen did not fire last out against $16K starter handicap company after three consecutive runner up finishes. Maybe she did not like the sealed muddy surface or the seven furlongs, but she is back at six furlongs here and likely to catch a better racing surface. Her numbers two and three back are a good fit here and she has landed in the exacta in 10 of 21 trips at the distance. We will look for her to bounce back in a wide open race and we should catch a fair price.
#8 Blitzenfoxyvixsin had to check at the start and wait for some running room along the inside entering the stretch last out in a third place finish against $35K claimers. She drops in price to the $25K level and fits here with her best. The Tony D. barn also has her entered in a Alw-3 optional claimer later tonight at Penn and she is 3/1 in a field of six in a race with a better purse, so she may end up there. The barn is showing a 0 for 4 mark at Penn at the meet. It is not a real easy spot at Penn, so perhaps she will stay here and go for the cheaper tag.
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 2,8 / 2,3,7,8
TRI: 2,8 / 2,3,7,8 / 1,2,3,7,8
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 8 Sabellina S. (4:45 et)
#2 Remarkable Remy 4/1
#10 Absolute Heaven 5/1
#9 Pastel Gal 7/2
#5 Nehantic Kat 5/2
Analysis: #2 Remarkable Remy was part of the pace and weakened late to finish seventh in the G2 Nassau at Woodbine. The filly was making her first start off a four month break and this race looks like a good fit as she returns to the NY bred ranks here. She has won 3 of 6 over the turf here including taken the Pebbles here last fall and that was an open stake. In good hands with one of Canada's top barns. Pierce is showing a 25% win clip (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a 45-180 day layoff.
#10 Absolute Heaven also made her last start in Canada, a third place finish versus Alw-3 optional claimers over the poly. The mare won her first two starts up north as she really took nicely to the fake stuff. She has run well on turf as well, landing in the exacta in 3 of 5 trips over the Belmont turf. She can handle the stretch out and figures to be a fair price in here.
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 2,10 / 2,5,9,10
TRI: 2,10 / 2,5,9,10 / 2,4,5,7,9,10
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
R3: #2 Turaath 12/1
R6 #2 High Cry 8/1
R9: #10 Matt?s a Giant 12/1
Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra will face just four foes in Saturday?s $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, and likely will be the overwhelming favorite.
The morning line odds on the filly are 1/5.
The news on Wednesday occurred during a teleconference with majority owner Jess Jackson, who said Rachel Alexandra would not compete in the Breeders? Cup this year, which makes a showdown with the undefeated Zenyatta unlikely.
Jackson said among the races where she might compete include Delaware Handicap on July 19, the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park on July 25, the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2, as well as the Alabama on Aug. 22, or the Travers on Aug. 29, both of those races coming up at the Saratoga meeting.
Jackson is not afraid to take on the boys and said that it is likely the filly will have a campaign next year as a four year old.
What she won?t do is race on the fake stuff, the Pro Ride surface at Santa Anita.
"I just don't want to risk her, " Jackson said. "You may not think it's a risk, but I saw what Curlin did and how he struggled and I saw four or five other horses that raced on plastic and they struggled. If it's a dirt horse, it's a dirt horse."
That will deal the Breeders? Cup a potential huge blow by missing out on a showdown among the two best female runners in training.
The Breeders? Cup has nobody but themselves to blame for scheduling racing?s marquee event at the same venue two years in a row.
It would be no surprise to see connections of other top dirt horses skipping racing?s so called championship day.
What needs to happen is the championships need to be decided on dirt, not as Jackson puts it, on "plastic."
To purchase my full card report for Belmont Park that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today click here.
Here is today's opener from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Clm $25,000 (1:00 et)
#2 Hailey Keen 4/1
#8 Blitzenfoxyvixsin 7/2
#3 Tide Runner 6/1
#7 Boss Tiffany 4/1
Analysis: #2 Hailey Keen did not fire last out against $16K starter handicap company after three consecutive runner up finishes. Maybe she did not like the sealed muddy surface or the seven furlongs, but she is back at six furlongs here and likely to catch a better racing surface. Her numbers two and three back are a good fit here and she has landed in the exacta in 10 of 21 trips at the distance. We will look for her to bounce back in a wide open race and we should catch a fair price.
#8 Blitzenfoxyvixsin had to check at the start and wait for some running room along the inside entering the stretch last out in a third place finish against $35K claimers. She drops in price to the $25K level and fits here with her best. The Tony D. barn also has her entered in a Alw-3 optional claimer later tonight at Penn and she is 3/1 in a field of six in a race with a better purse, so she may end up there. The barn is showing a 0 for 4 mark at Penn at the meet. It is not a real easy spot at Penn, so perhaps she will stay here and go for the cheaper tag.
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 2,8 / 2,3,7,8
TRI: 2,8 / 2,3,7,8 / 1,2,3,7,8
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 8 Sabellina S. (4:45 et)
#2 Remarkable Remy 4/1
#10 Absolute Heaven 5/1
#9 Pastel Gal 7/2
#5 Nehantic Kat 5/2
Analysis: #2 Remarkable Remy was part of the pace and weakened late to finish seventh in the G2 Nassau at Woodbine. The filly was making her first start off a four month break and this race looks like a good fit as she returns to the NY bred ranks here. She has won 3 of 6 over the turf here including taken the Pebbles here last fall and that was an open stake. In good hands with one of Canada's top barns. Pierce is showing a 25% win clip (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a 45-180 day layoff.
#10 Absolute Heaven also made her last start in Canada, a third place finish versus Alw-3 optional claimers over the poly. The mare won her first two starts up north as she really took nicely to the fake stuff. She has run well on turf as well, landing in the exacta in 3 of 5 trips over the Belmont turf. She can handle the stretch out and figures to be a fair price in here.
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 2,10 / 2,5,9,10
TRI: 2,10 / 2,5,9,10 / 2,4,5,7,9,10
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
R3: #2 Turaath 12/1
R6 #2 High Cry 8/1
R9: #10 Matt?s a Giant 12/1
