Sign In $
Horse Racing

At the Gate – Friday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
We are getting closer to the Breeders’ Cup and have five “Win and You’re In” races coming up this weekend, three at Woodbine and a pair for juveniles at Churchill Downs.

The big race of the weekend is the $1 million Woodbine Mile (G1), a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

A field of 11 will line up tomorrow led by the filly Got Stormy, winner of the Fourtsardave Handicap (G1) against the boys in her last outing at Saratoga on Aug. 10.





She won that race coming back just a week after winning the restricted De La Rose an she now has won 7 of her 14 career starts on turf.

She is not the only filly taking on the boys. Awesometank makes her second start since landing in the U.S. The William Haggas trainee was a good second in the Beverly D. (G1) at Arlington Park on Aug. 10.

While Got Stormy is the 8-5 morning line favorite, Awesometank is a more generous 8-1 and may be worth a good look.

The Chad Brown trained Raging Bull (3-1) also looks like a major player. The colt rallied to finish in the runner up spot in the Fourstardave last out and may be able to turn the tables.

I will have my selections and analysis for the Woodbine Mile in tomorrow’s column.

We have another eight-race card at Belmont Park this afternoon with a 3:00 ET post time. The feature tomorrow is the $200,000 Pebbles for three-year-old fillies that drew a competitive field of eight led by the Chad Brown trained Blowout, who was beaten a neck in the Lake Placid (G2) in her last start.

Now is the perfect time to purchase Monthly Package . It gives you a month of Belmont Park Reports daily and my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.

To purchase my Belmont Park Report for Friday click here .

Here is the opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 Md $30,000 (3:00 ET)
#2 Other Things Equal 5-1
#6 Bebeau 1-1
#7 Strategic Outlook 4-1
#4 Freedom Prince 3-1

Analysis: Other Things Equal came off a long layoff last out on turf where the Brown trainee stalked the early pace and finished evenly in a fourth-place finish. He made his debut last summer at Monmouth Park where he checked in fourth behind Mind Control, who is now a two-time Grade 1 winner. This guy was a $335,000 purchase and the drop in for a tag is not exactly a good sign. But he should be tighter second off the bench and seems better suited for the main track. He is out of the stakes winner Passion ($216,120) who ash dropped three winners including stakes winner Devine Aida ($273,215).

Bebeau pressed the early pace and weakened late in a third-place finish last out for a $40,000 tag at the Spa going nine furlongs off a 6 1/2-month layoff. He was second in his debut and then fifth second out before hitting the sidelines. He should move forward second off the bench for Pletcher.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 2,6 / 2,4,6,7
TRI: 2,6 / 2,4,6,7 / 1,2,4,6,7

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 6 Md $50,000 (5:40 ET)
#2 Microscope2-1
#1 My Father's Eyes / 1a Candygramformongo 4-1
#3 Imperioso 9-5
#6 Macho Boy 12-1

Analysis: Microscope debuts for the Pletcher barn that is 23% winners with first time starters. The colt is by Micromanage out of a stakes placed Macho Uno mare, her first foal to race. The colt has decent works on the morning tab including a good gate drill at the Spa on Sept. 1. This looks like a good spot debuting for a tag here.

My Father's Image showed speed in his debut on turf at the Spa before tiring to finish a well beaten fifth. Pedigree wise he seems better suited to dirt, by Forty Tales out of an Old Fashioned mare, this her first foal to race. The barn is 21% winners moving runners from turf to dirt. Entrymate Candygramformongo prompted the early pace and weakened to finish sixth in his debut on the main track at the Spa at 12-1. He also drops in for a tag here. Irad is listed on both so only one will go but either look as if they fit here dropping in class.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 9-5 or better.
EX: 1,2 / 1,2,3,6
TRI: 1,2 / 1,2,3,6, / 1,2,3,6,7

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
R2: #1 A Freud of Mama 8-1
R6: #6 Macho Boy 12-1
R8: #11 Letterman 15-1

Good luck today!

Horse Racing News

VegasInsider Staff

VegasInsider Staff

More from VegasInsider Staff
•