At the Gate - Saturday
June 9, 2017
We have no Triple Crown hanging in the balance, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners are no shows and the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) lost its early betting favorite.
Ah, who cares right?
In addition to the Belmont Stakes, there are nine supporting stakes on an outstanding 13-race card and five are Grade 1 races.
The New York Racing Association has consolidated all the major stakes into one blockbuster day, and it has really worked out, particularly if the excitement of a Triple Crown is not hanging in the balance.
Sure, television ratings will likely be down, but horseplayers know good opportunities when they see them, and there are plenty this afternoon.
As an added treat, we get to see the brilliant filly Songbird back in action, although as the 1-2 morning line favorite of the $750,000 Ogden Phipps (G1), it’s not much of a betting race.
The filly won her first 11 career starts including seven Grade 1 races, and suffered her first defeat in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) where she was beaten a nose by Beholder.
Despite the loss she earned a career top speed fig and I am anxious to see what this gal can do this year as a four-year-old.
As for the Belmont Stakes it looks like game on for second choice Epicharis, who came down with a front foot issue on Wednesday and seemed like he could be a scratch.
We as horseplayers must decide what affect his minor foot issue is going to have on him as he attempts to go 1 ½ miles in his first start since March.
If this was a claiming race chances are we would never had known there was an issue, but a classic race is under the microscope, and backing him at the window could be tough.
However, sometimes these minor foot issues have a way of working themselves out overnight, and he could be 100% by post time on Saturday.
Post time for the Belmont Stakes is 6:37 ET, the 11th of 13 races on today’s Belmont Park card.
To purchase my Belmont Park and Best Plays Reports for Saturday click here.
Now would be a good time to get my Monthly Package, which includes an entire month of Belmont Park action, my Best Plays Report each weekend and my Belmont Stakes Day Report.
Here is the opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Alw $90,000N1X (11:35 ET)
#3 Nigel's Destiny 4-1
#5 Tathqeef 12-1
#7 Thebigfundamental 5-2
#6 Wild About Deb 12-1
Analysis: Nigel's Destiny tracked the early pace and could not match strides late with the winner in a runner up finish at this level last out over a wet track. The winner was Hard Study, who came back to beat Alw-2 optional claimers in his next outing here on May 27. Motion adds blinkers and this gelding looks headed in the right direction as he makes his third start of his current form cycle.
Tathqeef was pinched back coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace and weakened in the stretch to finish fourth last out as the beaten chalk going a mile on the main track at the Big A. He was the beaten favorite two back as well at this condition in a third place finish. Three back in his U.S. debut coming at Gulfstream Park he was a game second, beaten just 3/4 of a length. The blinkers come off and he returns off nearly a tow month break. he reunites with Rosario and the 12-1 morning line looks generous after this guy took plenty of action in his last three outings.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 3,5,6,7
TRI: 3,5 / 3,5,6,7 / 1,3,5,6,7
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Monmouth Park:
MTH Race 10 The Crank It Up (5:20 ET)
#3 Big City Dreamin 7-2
#5 Fly Swift 4-1
#6 Who's the Lady 10-1
#9 R Naja 6-1
Analysis: Big City Dreamin took the field gate to wire to beat Alw-2 optional claimers at Churchill Downs going five furlongs in her first start off a nine month layoff. She broke her maiden on the fake stuff at Presque Isle and had the lead heading for home in eh Bottom Landing but weakened to finish fifth. She makes her second start since landing with Cox who is 39% winners (with a +ROI) with runners making their second start off a +180 day layoff.
Fly Swift was off last and made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot last out against Alw-1 optional claimers at Gulfstream park going five furlongs as the beaten chalk. She was a game maiden winner two back in her first go off a 5 1/2 month layoff. She looks primed for a top effort in her third start off the bench.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 3,5,6,9
TRI: 3,5 / 3,5,6,9 / 3,4,5,6,9
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 9 The Metropolitan Hcp G1 (4:41 ET)
#12 Awesome Slew 6-1
#11 Tommy Macho 10-1
#9 Mor Spirit 5-2
#2 Rally Cry 5-1
Analysis: Awesome Slew should get a good trip breaking from the outside post and might even be a bit closer early than he has been in his last couple of outings. Last out he was more than a dozen lengths back and made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot in the Churchill Downs (G2) over a wet track. The winner Limousine Liberal came back to win the Aristides (G3) in his next start at Churchill Downs on June 3. Our top pick earned a career top two back winning the Commonwealth (G3) at Keeneland going seven furlongs off a two month break. He comes in here very sharp and is going to be a fair price in this spot.
Tommy Macho was third last out in the Carter 'Cap (G1). The Pletcher trainee tracked the early pace from the inside, got stuck behind foes in the stretch and as bumped and lost momentum briefly inside the final furlong. When this guy is good he can fire big figs but is not real reliable. He earned a 105 Beyer three back winning the Hal's Hope (G3) for fun at Gulfstream Park going a one turn mile. He has a couple of wins over the main track here and will appreciate the extra furlong. After being below 3-1 in each of his five starts the 10-1 morning line looks enticing.
Wagering
WIN: #12 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 11,12 / 1,9,11,12
TRI: 11,12 / 2,9,11,12 / 2,5,9,11,12
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
R1: #5 Tathqeef 12-1
R1: #6 Wild About Deb 12-1
R3: #3 Sunny Ridge 10-1
R5: #2 Paid Up Subscriber 8-1
R5: #6 Bar of Gold 12-1
R8: #7 Antonoe 8-1
R9: #11 Tommy Macho 10-1
R10: #6 Potemkin 8-1
R11: #12 Patch 12-1
R13: #5 River Echo 8-1
Good luck today!
June 9, 2017
We have no Triple Crown hanging in the balance, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners are no shows and the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) lost its early betting favorite.
Ah, who cares right?
In addition to the Belmont Stakes, there are nine supporting stakes on an outstanding 13-race card and five are Grade 1 races.
The New York Racing Association has consolidated all the major stakes into one blockbuster day, and it has really worked out, particularly if the excitement of a Triple Crown is not hanging in the balance.
Sure, television ratings will likely be down, but horseplayers know good opportunities when they see them, and there are plenty this afternoon.
As an added treat, we get to see the brilliant filly Songbird back in action, although as the 1-2 morning line favorite of the $750,000 Ogden Phipps (G1), it’s not much of a betting race.
The filly won her first 11 career starts including seven Grade 1 races, and suffered her first defeat in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) where she was beaten a nose by Beholder.
Despite the loss she earned a career top speed fig and I am anxious to see what this gal can do this year as a four-year-old.
As for the Belmont Stakes it looks like game on for second choice Epicharis, who came down with a front foot issue on Wednesday and seemed like he could be a scratch.
We as horseplayers must decide what affect his minor foot issue is going to have on him as he attempts to go 1 ½ miles in his first start since March.
If this was a claiming race chances are we would never had known there was an issue, but a classic race is under the microscope, and backing him at the window could be tough.
However, sometimes these minor foot issues have a way of working themselves out overnight, and he could be 100% by post time on Saturday.
Post time for the Belmont Stakes is 6:37 ET, the 11th of 13 races on today’s Belmont Park card.
To purchase my Belmont Park and Best Plays Reports for Saturday click here.
Now would be a good time to get my Monthly Package, which includes an entire month of Belmont Park action, my Best Plays Report each weekend and my Belmont Stakes Day Report.
Here is the opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Alw $90,000N1X (11:35 ET)
#3 Nigel's Destiny 4-1
#5 Tathqeef 12-1
#7 Thebigfundamental 5-2
#6 Wild About Deb 12-1
Analysis: Nigel's Destiny tracked the early pace and could not match strides late with the winner in a runner up finish at this level last out over a wet track. The winner was Hard Study, who came back to beat Alw-2 optional claimers in his next outing here on May 27. Motion adds blinkers and this gelding looks headed in the right direction as he makes his third start of his current form cycle.
Tathqeef was pinched back coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace and weakened in the stretch to finish fourth last out as the beaten chalk going a mile on the main track at the Big A. He was the beaten favorite two back as well at this condition in a third place finish. Three back in his U.S. debut coming at Gulfstream Park he was a game second, beaten just 3/4 of a length. The blinkers come off and he returns off nearly a tow month break. he reunites with Rosario and the 12-1 morning line looks generous after this guy took plenty of action in his last three outings.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 3,5,6,7
TRI: 3,5 / 3,5,6,7 / 1,3,5,6,7
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Monmouth Park:
MTH Race 10 The Crank It Up (5:20 ET)
#3 Big City Dreamin 7-2
#5 Fly Swift 4-1
#6 Who's the Lady 10-1
#9 R Naja 6-1
Analysis: Big City Dreamin took the field gate to wire to beat Alw-2 optional claimers at Churchill Downs going five furlongs in her first start off a nine month layoff. She broke her maiden on the fake stuff at Presque Isle and had the lead heading for home in eh Bottom Landing but weakened to finish fifth. She makes her second start since landing with Cox who is 39% winners (with a +ROI) with runners making their second start off a +180 day layoff.
Fly Swift was off last and made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot last out against Alw-1 optional claimers at Gulfstream park going five furlongs as the beaten chalk. She was a game maiden winner two back in her first go off a 5 1/2 month layoff. She looks primed for a top effort in her third start off the bench.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 3,5,6,9
TRI: 3,5 / 3,5,6,9 / 3,4,5,6,9
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 9 The Metropolitan Hcp G1 (4:41 ET)
#12 Awesome Slew 6-1
#11 Tommy Macho 10-1
#9 Mor Spirit 5-2
#2 Rally Cry 5-1
Analysis: Awesome Slew should get a good trip breaking from the outside post and might even be a bit closer early than he has been in his last couple of outings. Last out he was more than a dozen lengths back and made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot in the Churchill Downs (G2) over a wet track. The winner Limousine Liberal came back to win the Aristides (G3) in his next start at Churchill Downs on June 3. Our top pick earned a career top two back winning the Commonwealth (G3) at Keeneland going seven furlongs off a two month break. He comes in here very sharp and is going to be a fair price in this spot.
Tommy Macho was third last out in the Carter 'Cap (G1). The Pletcher trainee tracked the early pace from the inside, got stuck behind foes in the stretch and as bumped and lost momentum briefly inside the final furlong. When this guy is good he can fire big figs but is not real reliable. He earned a 105 Beyer three back winning the Hal's Hope (G3) for fun at Gulfstream Park going a one turn mile. He has a couple of wins over the main track here and will appreciate the extra furlong. After being below 3-1 in each of his five starts the 10-1 morning line looks enticing.
Wagering
WIN: #12 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 11,12 / 1,9,11,12
TRI: 11,12 / 2,9,11,12 / 2,5,9,11,12
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
R1: #5 Tathqeef 12-1
R1: #6 Wild About Deb 12-1
R3: #3 Sunny Ridge 10-1
R5: #2 Paid Up Subscriber 8-1
R5: #6 Bar of Gold 12-1
R8: #7 Antonoe 8-1
R9: #11 Tommy Macho 10-1
R10: #6 Potemkin 8-1
R11: #12 Patch 12-1
R13: #5 River Echo 8-1
Good luck today!
