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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Sunday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
Unique Bella is back on her game, winning the $400,000 Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita by 2 ¼ lengths yesterday and the margin could have been larger.
 
The filly was brilliant last year winning five of her six starts with her lone blemish coming in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) where she faded to finish seventh.
 
After earning a 109 Beyer winning the Santa Maria (G2) by nine lengths in her four-year-old debut she was off a beat slow and had to settle for second in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park.
 
Her win in the Beholder was her seventh in eight trips over the Santa Anita main track. She paid a puny $3.00 as my top pick.
 
The highlight on Saturday for us was in the seventh at Belmont Park with Peril pulling off the upset at $27.00 as my top pick. The recommended exacta came back at $164.00 and the trifecta for $1 came back at $409.00.
 
We have a good nine race card at Belmont park this afternoon and then we have a three-day break before the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicks off next Thursday.
 
Sunday’s Best Plays Report includes my seven strongest plays from Belmont Park and Santa Anita.  
 
To purchase my Belmont Park and Best Plays Reports for Sunday click here .
 
Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package, which will give you a full month of reports from Belmont Park, my Best Plays Report each weekend, and the Belmont Stakes Festival from Belmont Park.
 
Here is the opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:
 
BEL Race 1 Clm $14,000N3L (1:30 ET)
#3 Satin Sheets   8-5
#1 Groton St Scout   5-1
#4 Moment of Triumph   2-1
#7 Special Risk   8-1
 
Analysis: Satin Sheets prompted the early pace and drew off to beat state bred Alw-1 foes last out going six furlongs at Aqueduct in a sharp effort. It was his eighth try at the condition after breaking his maiden in his debut. Now he comes back off a 2 1/2-month break with a class drop to $14,000. He has worked well since his last start and while the class drop does not look great this guy should be good enough to handle this group.
 
Groton St Scout has tailed off form but his last two were in the slop and three back was on turf. his last try over a fast main track at Aqueduct back in March he was a good third versus state bred Alw-1 foes. If he runs back to that effort that puts him in the mix here for the underrated Barker barn.
 
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 9-5 or better.
EX: 1,3 / 1,3,4,7
TRI: 1,3 / 1,3,4,7 / 1,3,4,6,7
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
 
BEL Race 7 Alw $65,000N1X (4:46 ET)
#1 Nutzforboltz    9-2
#5 Elenzee   3-1
#6 Sound Values   7-2
#9 News Anchor    5-2
 
Analysis: Nutzforboltz cuts back to seven furlongs and returns to the state bred ranks here for his third start off the bench for Englehart. The gelding was beaten just a head at this level two back off the break and then regressed last out in a sixth-place finish against $50,000 starter allowance foes. His last win came here at a mile against $40,000 non-winners of two, rallying from last to first. Ortiz picks up the call and looking for this guy to bounce back with a better effort in this spot.
 
Elenzee was the beaten chalk last out, setting the early fractions and unable to hold off the winner late in a runner up finish. The Casse trainee is 0 for 4 at this level after breaking his maiden here last May going a mile over good ground. He makes his third start off the layoff and looks headed in the right direction form wise.
 
Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 1,5 / 1,5,6,9
TRI:  1,5 / 1,5,6,9 / 1,5,6,7,9
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Santa Anita:
 
SA Race 4 The Possibly Perfect (2:08 PT)
#4 Plein Air   5-2
#1 Pantsonfire   3-1
#2 Queen Blossom   4-1
#3 Evo Campo   4-1
 
Analysis: Plein Air dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish fifth as the beaten favorite in the Santa Barbara (G3) going 1 1/2 miles in her second start since landing in the U.S. with Baffert. She came off the bench with a gate to wire score in the Astra two back. The cut back in distance should suit this mare as she makes her third start off the layoff.
 
Pantsonfire came with a good late rally to finish third in the Santa Barbara, beaten 1 3/4 lengths for the top spot. The Baltas trainee was making his stakes debut and first start at 1 1/2 miles. The cut back suits this gal who has won at a mile and nine furlongs.
 
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 1,4 / 1,2,3,4
TRI: 1,4 / 1,2,3,4 / 1,2,3,4,8
 
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: #7 Special Risk   8-1
R5: #8 Dry Martini   8-1
R6: #8 Fly   15-1
R9: #2 Potomac   12-1
R9: #7 Expert   10-1
 
Good luck today!

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