The 2012 Triple Crown is in the books, but we still have plenty to look forward to the remainder of the year.
Although Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another is headed for the breeding shed, Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, and the Bob Baffert duo of Bodemeister and Paynter are likely to meet up somewhere this summer.
There are several key races for three-year-olds this summer, the $1 million Haskell Invitational, $600,000 Jim Dandy, and the $1 million Travers where the top three-year-olds could face each other again.
There is no slowing down on good horse betting action despite the top three-year-olds taking a short breather.
Coming up on Saturday night at Churchill Downs is the $400,000 Stephen Foster, one of four stakes on the “Downs After Dark” program.
Alternation looks like the one to beat in the Foster, a race that will include several outstanding older runners including Wise Dan, Ron the Greek, Nehro, and Nates Mineshaft.
Post time Saturday night is 6:00 ET and I will have my full card report available on Friday.
For Wednesday we are off the turf at Belmont Park, which I anticipated as rain was falling most of the day Tuesday and into today.
As of this morning the main track at Belmont Park was listed as sloppy.
To purchase my Belmont Park for Wednesday click here
Here is today’s opening from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Alw $50,000s (12:50 ET)
7 Imhotep 5-1
8 Fantastical 5-2
10 Majestic Hope 2-1
1 Quantity / 1a Drink With Pride 6-5
Analysis: Imhotep gets the call and with rain falling on Tuesday into today, it looks as if we are to be off the turf today with a good possibility we are going to see a wet track. Our top pick was the beaten favorite last out at this condition on the turf, catching a yielding turf. The colt tracked the early pace and tired to finish sixth at 9-5. The colt broke his maiden two back for a $50K tag off a nine month layoff. The runner up in that race was Bold Forest, who came back to graduate in his next start for a $65K tag. The colt has only been on poly and turf, but he is bred to be able to handle a wet track.
Fantastical makes his first start off a two month break here, shipping in from Oaklawn Park. The gelding took the field gate to wire last out to beat $20K non-winners of three by 14 1/2 lengths. He makes his first start here for the Jacobson barn that is 27% winners (with a +ROI) with newcomers to the barn. The gelding has a couple of seconds and a third in three trips over a wet track.
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 1,7,8,10
TRI: 7,8 / 1,7,8,10 / 1,4,7,8,10
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 7 Clm $15,000N2L (4:02 ET)
6 Et Al 8-1
5 Daddy's Wildcat 4-1
1 First Verse 6-1
8 Bomber Boy 5-2
Analysis: Et Al was not a threat last out in a eighth place finish on grass in his local debut against $25K non-winners of two. The colt broke his maiden in his debut last April but was not a threat in any starts since then. The colt drops into a softer spot here and pedigree wise he seems better suited for the main track. Ramon takes the call for the RRod barn and the 8-1 morning line looks fair enough to give this guy a good look.
Daddy's Wildcat caught a muddy track last out, dueling for the early lead and weakening to finish a well beaten fourth. The gelding took the field gate to wire to break his maiden two back against $12.5K foes in his first go off the claim by the Levine barn. The gelding owns solid early and mid pace numbers and if he shakes loose early he could prove tough to catch.
Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 5,6 / 1,5,6,8
TRI: 5,6 / 1,5,6,8 / 1,5,6,8,11,12
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
R3: #6 Forward March 12-1
R3: #1 So Scott 15-1
R4: #4 Blushing Me Away 12-1
R5: #6 Nerveitup 10-1
R6: #4 David the Great 8-1
R6: #1 My Man Marty 10-1
R7: #6 Et Al 8-1
R8: #1 Fisherman’s Wharf / #1a My Golden Opinion 10-1
Good luck today!
