The rains have finally left Southern California. Well, we hope they have. We don’t mind rain out here in SoCal, but when it’s too wet, horseplayers end up having to handicap short fields.
It’s hard to find an overlay in a short field.
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Horse Pick of the Day: Hollywood Park – Race 5
Race-day: 11/28/2009
Race-time: 5:32 pm EST
Before Ventura and Diamondrella take to the turf track for the Grade I Matriarch on Saturday at Hollywood Park, two year olds go 1 mile on the turf in the Grade III Generous Stakes.
The Generous Stakes figures as a super competitive race where finding an overlay shouldn’t be an issues. Finding the right overlay, the overlay that could win, is the challenge.
Let’s take a look at Race 5 and Hollywood Park on Saturday.
Hollywood Park – Race 5
Grade III Generous Stakes
$100,000
For Two Year Olds
1 mile on turf
Who’s Up – - 7/2 fair online betting odds
Bridgetown is going to be a huge favorite in this race but that fella has no choice but to go for the lead breaking from the 1 hole while Who’s Up, who broke his maiden at a mile on the turf, figures to track Bridgetown before going after him at the top of the stretch. Who’s Up has been ridden by the fantastic Victor Espinoza in all three of his lifetime races, and figures to get the best trip out of all of the horses in this race.
Marcello – - 5/1 fair online betting odds
The Bob Baffert trained son of Johannesburg won an allowance race in his last race and is going first time on the turf. Usually, those wouldn’t be good signs that he deserves a wager, but the fact that he was bought for $200,000, is bred to enjoy the lawn, and showed the type of turn of foot that would make him very, very tough in this in that allowance victory.
Bridgetown – - 3/1 fair online betting odds
This two year old sired by Speightstown switches jockeys to Garrett Gomez after finishing 2nd by ¾ of a length in the BC Juvenile Turf in his last. He took the lead in that and actually looked to be the winner before getting run down by the terrific Pounced. Bridgetown has the ability to lead again in this race, but, again, faces a very tough opponent in Who’s Up. Bridgetown should go off the chalk, though, and is worth a wager at 3 to 1 or higher, although I doubt he goes off at those odds.
Wagering Strategy
Who’s Up is a very good horse and deserves a bet to win and place. I will also play an exacta and trifecta box with Bridgetown, Marcello and Who’s Up.
The best Pick 3 wager of the day starts in Hollywood’s Race 6 where maiden claimers will hit the track.
We’ll try to get a long shot in Race 6 at Hollywood Park because Ventura and Diamondrella run in the third leg of Saturday’s Pick 3 of the day.
Let’s take a look.
** All numbers are post positions
Race 6 – $25,000 Maiden Claimer (6:04 EST)
6 ½ furlongs on cushion track
Horses Used: 1-Afleet Magic, 2-Youthful Ambition, 4-Magic Dust, 6-Nanni The Teaser, 10-Broadway Promise
Analysis: Afleet Magic takes a drop in class and that may be all he needs. Plus, he’s a gelding now. Youthful Ambition changes barns to Vladimir Cerin and drops way down in class from the maiden special ranks. Magic Dust is a first time starter with some really nice works. Nanni The Teaser will be overlooked in the betting has improving numbers and trainer Eoin Harty is a master with these types of horses. Broadway Promise figures to go off as the chalk, has speed, and gets speed jock Martin Garcia.
To bet on Horse Racing >> Join Now
Race 6 – $38,000 n$y Allowance
6 furlongs on turf
Horses Used: 1-Woman Warrior, 2-Tamar, 3-Dotsy Jean, 5-Maroma, 7-Pink Diamond
Analysis: In this amazingly competitive race, decisions have to be made. One of them is to not use likely chalk Miss Silver Brook and instead throw in a few potential long shots. Woman Warrior has speed, gets the rail, and should get a terrific trip with Alex Solis on her back. Tamar was horrible in her last but she goes first time turf for trainer Mike Mitchell, is out of terrific sire Indian Charlie, and has a ton of speed. Dotsy Jean has won two races at this distance and on this turf course. She could close for the victory. Maroma is trained by Cristophe Clement and gets Rafael Bejarano to take the call. Pink Diamond is coming off of a maiden victory off of the turf. Usually, she’d be a throw-out but her number in her maiden win was absolutely fantastic and she is bred to be a champion.
Race 7 – Grade I Matriarch
1 mile on turf
Horses Used: 3-Diamondrella
Analysis: Yes, it’s true that Ventura is in this race and it would be a fantastic story if she were to win considering her former trainer, the venerable Bobby Frankel, passed away a couple of week’s ago, but Diamondrella is just too good at this distance and on this turf. Diamondrella has beaten Forever Together, the 2008 BC Filly and Mare Turf Champion, twice. She also had no chance in the BC Turf Sprint and probably would have given Goldikova a run for her money in the BC Mile. Diamondrella is 8-2-1 on the turf out of 16 lifetime races and is 2 for 2 at this distance, both on the turf. She’s out of Rock Of Gibraltar. So, her class is pretty much unquestioned. She beats Ventura in that one’s swan song on Saturday.$1 Pick 3 = 5 x 5 x 1 = 25 combinations
Total Cost = $25
Race-day
: 11/28/2009
First-race: 2:14 pm EST
Aqueduct’s fall meet provides their most important day of racing on Saturday when the Grade I Cigar Mile, which will showcase Vineyard Haven and Kodiak Kowboy.
The Grade I Cigar Mile is the final leg in a four race Grand Slam Pick 4 that starts in Race 6 and ends in Race 9. Below is the Pick 4 ticket that I will most likely be playing, provided there are no scratches, this Saturday in the BetUS online racebook.
Race 6: Grade II Demoiselle Stakes
1 1/8 miles on dirt
Horses Used: 1/1A-In The Rough and Profiteroles, 4-Tizahit, 5-Protesting
Analysis: Both In The Rough and Profiteroles are next out maiden winners, but both have won going two turns already. Profiteroles figures to be super tough in this after the speed rating she garnered in her maiden victory. Tizahit failed in the Grade III Tempted Stakes but should find the competition much easier in this and Protesting was sired by A.P. Indy and comes out of the Shug McGaughey barn. Shug has trained some seriously good fillies in his time and figures to possibly have another one here.
Race 7: Grade II Remsen Stakes
1 1/8 miles on dirt
Horses Used: 5-Homeboy Kris, 6-Citrus Kid
Analysis: Buddy’s Saint figures to go off a super chalky in this but Homeboy Kris was awesome in his first race for trainer Richard Dutrow, knows how to rate, and figures to be even better in this. Citrus Kid goes to the barn of John Terranova who is 27% first time after the claim. He too should lie right behind Buddy’s Saint before taking him on at the top of the stretch.
Get in on the action now – SIGN UP HERE!
Race 8: Grade I Gazelle Stakes
1 1/8 miles on dirt
Horses Used: 2-Flashing, 3-Milwaukee Appeal, 4-Unrivaled Belle, 5-Bon Jovi Girl
Analysis: Flashing is 2 for 2 at Aqueduct and should be the favorite even though Stardom Bound is in this race. She should be very tough against this group. Milwaukee Appeal has finished 2nd in four straight races including the Grade I Alabama. Unrivaled Belle is 3 and 1 out of 4 straight races. Bon Jovi Girl finished second in a Grade I two races back before failing in a minor stakes race in her last. She can bounce back in this.
Race 9: Grade I Cigar Mile
1 mile on dirt
Horses Used: 1/1A-Pyro and Vineyard Haven, 4-Bribon
Analysis: Pyro is the closer and Vineyard Haven is the speed. Haven could steal this on the front end as he has faced much stronger early pressure in the past and has come out on top. Bribon failed in the Woodbine Mile, but is much better than he showed that day and figures to get the jump on the likely chalk in this, Kodiak Kowboy. Both are stone cold closers.
$1 Pick 4 = 3×2x4×2 = 48 combinations
Total Cost = $48
Sign up now and get FULL access to all of BetUS features!
Horse Pick of the Day: Woodbine – Race 8
Race-day: 11/11/2009
Race-time: 10:13 pm EST
Racing in Canada continue on Wednesday night when horses take the Woodbine racetrack.
There is a stakes race on the card, but for betting purposes, the last race, an $8,000 claimer, figures to offer serious value on some good horses. It’s a wide open affair that should…
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Trainer Tim Ice isn’t known throughout racing circles the way that some of his peers are. That’s quite alright by him. After all, he just got his racing license about two years ago and Summer Bird is his only charge. It’s difficult to have a big head as a trainer when you only have one horse in your stable.
What a horse though. Summer Bird is easily one of the top horses going into the Breeders’ Cup Classic. There’s just no other way to describe the Travers and Belmont Stakes winner of 2009. Ice has done about as good of a job bringing Summer Bird up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic as any horse being brought up to a race in recent memory. The fact that his arch nemesis, the super filly Rachel Alexandra, won’t be running in the Classic means that Summer Bird will go off the favorite in the race and win as the favorite.
Let’s take a look at Summer Bird’s progression up to this point. It’s a terrific study in how thoroughbred trainers get their horses ready to peak at the exact right moment.
Summer Bird was born in April of 2006 in Kentucky. He was bred by the retired cardiologist Dr. Kalarikkal Jayaraman and his wife retired pathologist Dr. Vilasini Jayaraman. The good doctor and his good doctor wife bred Summer Bird at their farm in Ocala, Florida. Summer Bird is the son of Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone. His dam is the mare Hong Kong Squall, herself a daughter of Preakness winner Summer Squall.
Summer Bird’s bloodlines are exceptional. On his dad’s side are both Unbridled and the brilliant Northern Dancer. On his mother’s side are the great Alydar and the even greater Secretariat. His mother’s father, Alysheba, a son of Alydar, won the Kentucky Derby in the late 1980’s.
Good breeding obviously gave Tim Ice something to work with, but the trainer still had to get Summer Bird to where he is today, on the verge of winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic. How did he do that?
Summer Bird first showed signs of possible greatness when losing the Arkansas Derby. Summer Bird went 5 wide at the quarter pole and, once he switched leads, was gaining on both Old Fashioned and Papa Clem, but he just ran out of real estate. He ran past both of those after crossing the finish line. It was a huge, huge race for Summer Bird who showed that he had a ton of upside.
His next race, the Kentucky Derby, was actually a much better run than it looked at first. He finished 6th, losing to his half-brother Mine That Bird by 13 lengths, but while Mine That Bird took the inside on his way to Derby glory, Summer Bird went 7 wide around the final turn. It was a breathtaking move that came up short. On that day, the inside was playing perfectly while the outside was a mess. Mine That Bird got the better trip and thumped him, but Summer Bird’s performance was amazing. Even though the race was out of reach, Summer Bird kept running hard down the lane and passed enough of his foes to finish 6th.
After skipping the Preakness Stakes, Ice decided to run Summer Bird in the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes. Trip horseplayers had caught on to Bird’s awesomeness. He was bet fairly well in the Belmont and ran to his odds. The running line will show that Summer Bird dominated Dunkirk and Mine That Bird by 2 ¾ lengths. Watching the Belmont again, most gamblers would have to agree that the margin of victory could have been much more. Summer Bird was near the back of the pack pretty much around the final turn and had to wait for an opening at the top of the stretch before unleashing his powerful late kick. It was an eye-opening performance.
Even in his loss to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Invitational, Summer Bird showed that he had turned into a horse to be reckoned with. Running on mud for the first time in his life, Summer Bird had a built in excuse for running a bad race, but he didn’t run a bad race. Jockey Kent Desormeaux, after surveying the field, put Summer Bird near the lead. It was a risky move as Summer Bird’s best running had been from off the pace. The move paid off as Summer Bird finished 2nd in the Haskell. There’s nothing wrong with getting dueled into submission by Rachel Alexandra and a replay of the race shows that Summer Bird actually accelerated in the lane to out run Munnings to the wire.
Summer Bird has run two more times since the Haskell Invitational. In both races, he was absolutely brilliant. In the Grade I Travers, the Mid-Summer Derby, Summer Bird beat Hold Me Back and Quality Road by 3 ½ lengths. He did so by stalking the pace instead of closing into it. In the Jockey Gold Cup, Ken Desormeaux put him near the lead again and once again, Summer Bird responded with a fantastic victory.
Summer Bird is ready to roll in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He has beaten every horse he has faced in his last three races save for the unbeatable Rachel Alexandra. He has the ability to stalk, run near the lead, or from the back of the pack, and his breeding suggests that he will only get better the more he runs.
From race to race, Summer Bird has learned something new, excelled in one way or another. All of it is due to the steady handling from trainer Tim Ice. For having only one horse in his stable, Ice sure knows how train. I suppose if your lone horse is Summer Bird, you really don’t need to train anything else.
Race-times: Bold Ruler at 1:32 pm EST and Fayette Stakes at 5:05 pm EST
The Breeders’ Cup is just around the corner. Right now, the best in the world are beginning to descend upon Santa Anita Park for the greatest two days of horse racing action in 2009.
Aqueduct and Keeneland won’t ever be Breeders’ Cup sites, but they still provide great racing on the weekends. Both tracks also happen to have the two most intriguing stakes races of Saturday on their cards.
Let’s take a look at the Grade III Bold Ruler Handicap at Aqueduct on Saturday and the Grade II Fayette Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday.
Aqueduct – Race 4
Grade III Bold Ruler Handicap
$150,000
For Three Year Olds and Upward
7 furlongs on dirt
There isn’t a whole lot of speed in this race which is one of the reasons Lucky Island could turn around his recent terrible form. After winning 4 races in a row, Lucky Island hasn’t hit the board in his last 5. His last race was horrendous, but he figures to turn things around in this. Lucky Island likes Aqueduct and if Garcia decides to go to the front with him, then he could wire this field.
Cherokee Country has busted two impressive speed ratings in a row. Both of those races were at Philadelphia Park but he doesn’t face that much better competition in this and he could be the horse to beat. Bettors should expect his odds to come down from that 4 to 1 morning line. Le Grand Cru can be an exceptionally fast horse at times and a slow horse at other times. Cru is coming off of a nice pressing victory and deserves a shot in this.
1. Lucky Island
2. Cherokee Country
3. Le Grand Cru
Keeneland – Race 9
Grade II Fayette Stakes
$150,000
For Three Year Olds and Upward
1 1/8 miles on Polytrack
National Pride hasn’t been that great in his last two starts and he does try the Polytrack for the first time in his career, but trainer Kieran McLaughlin has been awesome at Keeneland winning with 43% of his starters and National Pride has some back class. He’s worth a shot at the 12 to 1 morning line odds. Blame is one heck of a racehorse. He just lost to Regal Ransom, another good horse, in the Grade II Super Derby but he didn’t lose by much. He’s the class of this field and could easily win it with some luck. Parading returns to Keeneland after failing out at Southern California. He’s a good horse, but the odds will be short and three losses in a row may have taken away his competitive edge.
1. National Pride
2. Blame
3. Parading
Wagering Strategy
Race-day: 10/31/2009
Race-time: 3:35 pm EST
Keeneland’s featured race on Saturday is the Grade II Fayette Stakes. In that race, Parading and Blame figure to take most of the action and if the past performances mean anything, one of them will probably win that race.
It makes more sense for horse betting players to look elsewhere for an overlay. A potentially profitable overlay runs in Race 6 at Keeneland on Saturday.
Let’s take a look at Race 6 at Keeneland on Saturday.
Keeneland – Race 6
$56,000 Allowance
For Three Year Olds and Upward Which Have Never Won a Race Other Than Maiden, Claiming, Starter or State Bred on the Turf
1 mile turf
Mutadda – - 4/1 morning line odds
Trainer Tom Amoss hasn’t been having as good of a Keeneland meet as most gamblers expect of him, but Mutadda could help to turn that around. The son of Muktaddim should relish the stretch out to 1 mile on the turf. Amoss is very good with shippers and this one comes in from Mountaineer. He’s also 26% dirt to turf and 25% second time off of a layoff. There’s a lot to like with this horse.
Mr. Mischief – - 8/1 morning line odds
This son of Stormy Atlantic is coming off of a very nice win at 1 1/16th miles on Arlington Park’s turf course. Mr. Mischief is 4-3-1 out of 13 lifetime races over the turf and has enough speed to stay close in this race. He could end up as a seriously tough overlay to look past if his odds drift past 8 to 1. He’s got a good shot in this at a more than fair price.
Dubious Miss – - 6/5 morning line odds
The 5 year old gelding just finished second to Furthest Land in his last, the Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic. That race was on Polytrack. This race is on the turf. Trainer Paul McGee is only 9% with all weather to turf movers. Dubious Miss is the obvious class of this race and should win this going away but the odds aren’t justified.
I like Mutadda and will bet him to win and place. I will play an exacta and trifecta box with Mutadda, Mr. Mischief and Dubious Miss.
Breeders’ Cup Firsts in the Cards for 26th Renewal
Breeders’ Cup officials, not to be outdone by President Obama, have decided this is the year of change for the 26th renewal of the World Thoroughbred Championships.
Early on two fan friendly changes were made.
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Mine That Bird attempts to become the first Kentucky Derby champ to win the $350,000 Goodwood Stakes as a 3-year-old during Oak Tree’s 41st meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Two others that triumphed in the Run for the Roses captured the Goodwood as 4-year-olds: Silver Charm in 1998 and Ferdinand in ’87.
Only two sophomores have scored since the inaugural in ’82, including…
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Five new honorees will be inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame on Saturday at Retama Park.
The new members are racing legends Harold V. Goodman and Jeff Carr, plus three horses. In addition, former Texas Sen. O. H. “Ike” Carr of Dallas will receive the JoAnn Weber Distinguished Service Award.
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Woodrow Wilson was president, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 660 and Sir Barton became the first Triple Crown winner when Belmont Park inaugurated the Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational.
The year was 1919. The winner: Purchase.
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Horses worth watching, a list of runners compiled by handicapper/turf writer Greg Melikov that should improve significantly or do well next time out, won nine times, ran second three times and finished third three times since Aug. 17. These thoroughbreds are worth considering when developing your horse betting strategy.
ARLINGTON PARK
Al Nasr Dream: Broke 8th and last from inside post, stumbled,…
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Louisiana Downs launched the Super Derby in 1980. It pitted winners of two Triple Crown races: Kentucky Derby champ and Belmont winner, Temperance Hill.
Genuine Risk was the second filly in history to capture the Run for the Roses since Regret in ’15.
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
There does not seem to be an abundance of live longshots on Thursday’s Belmont Park card, but that does not mean we cannot pad our bankroll in the Racebook
We should catch a fair price on my top pick Midnite Silver in today’s play of the day, which is a $50,000 claiming race on the turf which goes off as the sixth race on the card.
A single in the final leg of the three-race sequence anchors our Late Pick 3 play. After going three and then four deep in the first two legs, we will need Jazz Hands to get home as our single in the finale.
Today’s Play of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 6 Clm $50,000 (3:40 ET)
#6 Midnite Silver 6/1
#2 Swinging Bernie 2/1
#8 Keeping the Honor 5/1
#7 Emma’s Posse 6/1
Analysis: #6 Midnite Silver is back in for a tag here after catching soft footing last out at the Spa versus Alw-1 company. Three have come out of the race to run back including Boots Ahead, who won the $65K Restoration Stakes at Monmouth Park in his next outing on Sept. 2. The colt is a half to dirt stakes winner Notgivinmyloveaway ($168K). The colt won both of his starts over the Belmont Park turf and is picking up Ramon.
#2 Swinging Bernie makes his first start off a 2 1/2 month break here for the Pletcher barn that is 20% winners with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. The gelding was beaten just a length last out in the $65K Choice. Pletcher offers this gelding up for a tag for the first time in his career. The gelding fits well here but the price is likely going to be on the light side.
Horse Wagering Odds
WIN: #6 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 2,6 / 2,6,7,8
TRI: 2,6 / 2,6,7,8 / 2,6,7,8,10
Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:
Starting in Race 7: $2: 2,6,7 / 1,4,7,9 / 8 = $24
BEL Race 7 OClm $50,000N2X (4:12 ET)
#6 Redefined, #2 Five Towns, #7 Strong Impact
#6 Redefined makes his first start since a third place finish in the Quick Call at the Spa over good going. The winner of the race was Awakino Cat, who came back to win the Troy in his next start while fourth place finisher Perfect Officer won the Northrup at the Spa in his next start on Aug. 20. This guy won at this level the last three times at this condition and hard to knock a guy that has won 9 of 18 career starts over the turf here. The Tony D. barn is 27% winners with horses coming back off a 31-60 day break.
#2 Five Towns had to steady in traffic on the far turn and had to steady when lacking running room in the stretch, finishing well when clear to finish a solid second. It was his first start off nearly a year on the bench. The gelding won at this level here last summer, his lone turf win in eight starts on the lawn.
BEL Race 8 Alw $45,000N1X (4:45 ET)
#7 Wall Street Wonder, #4 Peace Wine, #9 Fateh Field, #1 Sigmondo
#7 Wall Street Wonder exits the $73K Northrup where the colt tracked the early pace, took over the lead and weakened to finish third, beaten three lengths for the top spot. The colt has mixed it up versus tougher than these and makes his third start of his current form cycle for the Baffert barn that is always potent in NY, hitting at a 31% clip over the last two years.
Join BetUs Sportsbook Today!
#4 Peace Wine drew off late to break his maiden last out in his fourth career start, which came off a 2 1/2 month break. The runner up in the race was Mr. Sandman, who came back to graduate in his next outing on Sept. 13. Two back the Weaver runner was a good second at today’s seven furlong distance behind Courageous Cat, who returned to win the A Gift on July 19, then the Hall of Fame (G2) on Aug. 14. His last two figures put him right in the mix here for a sharp barn.
BEL Race 9 Md $16,000 (5:17 ET)
#8 Jazz Hands
#8 Jazz Hands caught a sloppy surface and a dead rail last out at the Spa in his first start after shipping in from Florida. The colt dueled for the early lead while down along the inside and weakened to finish third for a $20K tag. The colt drops into a softer spot here and owns solid early and mid pace numbers. He is a half to three winners, two of them stakes winners, top earner Straight Faced ($269K). The outside draw should suit this guy as he can get to the lead or get a good spot sitting just off the pace.
Price Plays From Belmont Park:
These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.
R2: #9 For Free 8/1
R2: #8 Gin Tango 20/1
R4: #10 Supreme Serene 8/1
R4: #7 Saver Dude 10/1
R5: #7 Sequoya Mountain 10/1
Good luck padding your bankroll today!
Horses worth watching, a list of runners compiled by handicapper/turf writer Greg Melikov that should improve significantly or do well next time out, won four times, ran second seven times and finished third six times since Aug. 8. These thoroughbreds are worth considering when developing your horse betting strategy.
Arlington Park
Fire Cloud: Broke sixth and last, trailed by 12 ½ lengths…
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
The $750,000 Woodward Stakes is named for the breeder and horse owner that chaired the Jockey Club from 1930 to ’50, the breed registry for thoroughbreds in North America.
William Woodward’s famous Belair Stud colors (white silks with cherry red dots) were carried to victory 631 times from ’23 to ’53.
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
Horses worth watching, a list of runners compiled by handicapper/turf writer Greg Melikov that should improve significantly or do well next time out, won six times, ran second four times and finished third seven times since March 7. These thoroughbreds are worth considering when developing your betting strategy while betting in the racebook.
CALDER
Texas Billy Boy: Bumped, steadied early, raced…
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
After the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, have been run, horse racing fans wait for two marquee three-year old races before the Breeders’ Cup in the fall.
The first, the Haskell Invitational, was run last month with Rachel Alexandra, this year’s winner of the Preakness Stakes, romping to a victory.
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
It will be an all-male field when the 140th Travers Stakes is staged Saturday at Saratoga, featuring Belmont winner Summer Bird and six challengers.
That’s because owners of Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra have other fish to fry. In addition, Kentucky Derby champ Mine That Bird is skipping the 1 ¼-mile contest, his co-owners announced Wednesday, because he needs time to fully heal…
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
The Oak Tree Racing Association is hosting the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park for the fourth time. Whenever it has hosted the event in the past, the crowds on hand have witnessed at least one great moment in Breeders’ Cup history. In 1986, Lady’s Secret finished off an amazing year of racing with a gate-to-wire victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. In 1993, 133-1 longshot Arcangues won the Breeders’ Cup Classic by two lengths. His $269.20 payoff for a $2 wager still stands as the highest payoff in Breeders’ Cup history. In 2003, Richard Mandella became the first trainer to win four Breeders’ Cup races in a single day, capturing the Juvenile Fillies, the Juvenile, the Turf and the Classic. The 2003 Breeders’ Cup was also memorable for the one and only dead-heat win in a Breeders’ Cup race, when Johar made a late run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and finished on even terms with High Chaparral.
As Santa Anita Park has recently replaced its main dirt track with a synthetic track, the Breeders’ Cup will be held on a synthetic surface this year for the first time in its 25-year history. This could be a year when current race records are broken.
Horse Pick of the Day: Saratoga – Race 12
Race-time: 5:46 pm EST
This Saturday is Saratoga’s signature race, the Grade I Travers Stakes. Also called the mid-summer Derby, the Travers will showcase Quality Road, this year’s Florida Derby winner.
Quality Road was hurt before the Kentucky Derby and didn’t get a chance to run in any of the Triple Crown races. He is a big favorite to win the Travers this Saturday, but horseplayers had better not just blindly wager on Quality Road. In fact, there is a horse running in the Travers, Race 12 at Saratoga on Saturday that I think so highly of that I’m making him my Horse Pick of the Day.
Let’s take a look at Race 12 at Saratoga on Saturday.
Saratoga – Race 12
Grade I Travers Stakes
$1,000,000
For Three Year Olds
1 ¼ miles on dirt
Our Edge – - 15/1 morning line odds
All of the signs are there for the son of The Cliff’s Edge to win the Grade I Travers Stakes on Saturday. He’s been training beautifully over Saratoga’s dirt course. He’s bred to run the 1 ¼ mile distance. He’s won his last three races and he’s a front-runner in a file lacking a true front-runner. Our Edge is also very fast. He’s my pick in the Travers Stakes.
Kensei – - 7/2 morning line odds
The son of Mr. Greeley won both prep races for the Travers, the Grade II Dwyer and the Grade II Jim Dandy, and appears to be getting better every time he steps onto the track. Trainer Steve Asmussen has dominated stakes racing again in 2009 and no doubt could bring home a Travers trophy with this guy. He’ll be tough.
Summer Bird – - 3/1 morning line odds
Mine That Bird couldn’t make it but Birdstone will still be represented in the Travers by Belmont winner Summer Bird. He kept trying in his last even though Rachel Alexandra was just too good for him and finished second in the Grade I Haskell. He always tries and he always runs well. The problem with this race is that the pace might not be as sharp as he needs it to be in order to do his best running.
Wagering Strategy
I love Our Edge in this spot at the odds and will bet him to win, place and show. I will wager an exacta box with Our Edge, Kensei and Summer Bird. I will key Our Edge in all three slots in the trifecta with a box made up of Summer Bird, Kensei and Quality Road.
It will be an all-male field when the 140th Travers Stakes is staged Saturday at Saratoga, featuring Belmont winner Summer Bird and six challengers.
That’s because owners of Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra have other fish to fry. In addition, Kentucky Derby champ Mine That Bird is skipping the 1 ¼-mile contest, his co-owners announced Wednesday, because he needs time to fully heal…
Go to BetUS for all your wagering!
It is Travers Day Eve, and before we tackle tomorrow’s thirteen race card, we have a good betting card on Friday, a ten race menu highlighted by the $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2).
The Baruch drew a field of ten older runners who will be going 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf course.
Justenuffhumor is a deserving 9/5 morning line favorite, coming off a solid effort winning the Fourstardave Handicap (G2), which was his stakes debut.
He will be tough to beat, and I’m using him and longshot Deal Making in the race, which is the middle leg of our Late Pick 3 ticket.
Today’s Pick 3 Play from Saratoga:
Starting in Race 8: $1: 2,6,9 / 1,7 / 5,6,7,9 = $24
SAR Race 8 Md $35,000 (4:55 ET)
#2 Master, #9 Interrogatory, #6 Kicky Tune
#2 Master dropped in for a tag for the first time last out and came up the inside with a good late run but could only get second money as the short priced favorite. The colt did earn the top last out speed fig and might be more of early pace threat himself in this spot. Two back on the main track the colt dueled for the early lead through sharp early fractions before weakening to finish fifth. The colt looks like he can pick up the first win at the meet for the Terranova barn that started here 0 for 14.
#9 Interrogatory exits the same race as our top pick and the colt was outrun in the early going and fanned out five wide coming into the stretch, weakening to finish seventh. The colt showed some early zip in his two previous starts and with the addition of blinkers today should be in the mix early, and good to see Garcia sticks with this guy.
SAR Race 9 Bernard Baruch Hcp G2 (5:30 ET)
#1 Justenuffhumor / #1a Colony, #7 Deal Making
#1 Justenuffhumor passed his first stakes test with flying colors as our top pick, winning the Fourstardave (G2) in impressive fashion, paying $9.50 for the win. It was the colt’s fifth win in a row, and the well bred colt looks capable of winning right back. He is a half to a couple of nice stakes winners in Dreaming of Anna ($2 million) and Lewis Michael ($812K).
#7 Deal Making figures to be tighter for his second start off a nine month layoff. He made his return over the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle, checking in second against Alw-4 company. He has done his best running on turf and had a productive three year old campaign that included a win in the Stanton, followed by a solid second in the Hall of Fame (G2) here last summer. He is in good hands with the Motion barn and would be no surprise to see him move forward enough second off the bench to be in the mix here at a generous price.
SAR Race 10 Md $40,000 (6:04 ET)
#6 Wild Conga, #9 Lone Cypress, #7 No Detour, #5 Catch the Bottom
#6 Wild Conga made his first start off a six month layoff on the turf. stalking the early pace from the inside and tiring to finish seventh. Pedigree wise this guy seems better suited for the main track and he actually crossed the wire first two back on the inner versus $50K maiden claimers but was DQ’d. The gelding is by Congaree out of the stakes winner Totaly Wild ($83K). He figures to be tighter for his second start off the bench for the Badgett barn that is having a live meet, hitting with 5 of his 17 starters.
#9 Lone Cypress was the beaten chalk last out in a third place finish versus $20K foes in his local debut. He was claimed out of the race by the Asmussen barn that is 27% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. The colt was in the hunt two and three back against $30K and $50K foes and looks capable of handling the class hike here.
Price Plays From Saratoga:
These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.
R1: #1 Brocco Valley 10/1
R2: #6 She’s a Ketch 8/1
R2: #8 Ostensibly 15/1
R3: #1 Diamond Song 8/1
R5: #8 Triple Tax Exempt 12/1
R7: #5 Treat Her Right 12/1
R8: #6 Kicky Tune 10/1
R9: #7 Deal Making 12/1
R9: #3 Mambo Meister 8/1
R10: #5 Catch the Bottom 8/1
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
BetUS Sports News
