At the Gate – Saturday

We have three Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races on tap this afternoon, two at Churchill Downs and one at Woodbine.
 
Two-year-old take center stage under the Twin Spires today with the $200,000 Pocahontas (G2) for juvenile fillies and the $200,000 Iroquois (G3) for juvenile colts and geldings.
 
North of the border the $1 million Woodbine Mile (G1) winner will earn a starting spot in the field for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
 
All three races are included in my Best Plays Report.
 
The Pocahontas drew a field of nine that will go 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The Brad Cox trained Portrait and Morning Gold, trained by Ken McPeek are co-favorites at 3-1 on the morning line.
 
Portrait broke her maiden by 12 ½ lengths in his second career start while Morning Gold broke her maiden on turf at Saratoga in her second career outing by 5 ¼ lengths.
 
The Iroquois is led by 9-5 morning line favorite Dennis’ Moment, who turned heads at Ellis Park with a 19 ¼ length victory in his second career start. The colt clipped heels and dumped his jockey in his debut.
 
The Woodbine Mile drew a field of 11 with the filly Get Stormy the 8-5 morning line favorite. She already beat the boys, taking the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga in her last outing, which was coming back off just a week break.
 
My Best Plays Report for Saturday includes my 10 strongest plays from Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Woodbine
 
Now is the perfect time to purchase my 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 and Best Plays Reports for Saturday click here.
 
Here is the opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:
 
BEL Race 1 Clm $10,000 (1:00 ET)
#3 Getoffmyback   2-1
#5 Orpheus   4-5
#1 Discreet Angel   15-1
#2 Professor Snape   8-1
 
Analysis: Getoffmyback pressed the early pace and tired to finish a well beaten fourth last out against $12,500 foes at the Spa. The gelding was claimed out of the race by the Atras barn that is 20% winners first off the claim. He beat $12,500 foes here last summer and catches a weak group. He owns solid early and mid pace numbers and he fits well here.
 
Orpheus stalked the early pace and came up the inside to rally for the runner up spot last out against restricted $12,500 foes in the mud at Monmouth Park. The Martin trainee has landed in the money in 8 of 11 outings this year but has failed to win. His speed figs are tops in here but he tends to land for minor shares and is going to be a short price in this spot.
 
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 1,2,3,5
TRI: 3,5 / 1,2,3,5 / 1,2,3,5,6
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
 
BEL Race 10 The Pebbles (5:57 ET)
#8 East   7-2
#3 Eyeinthesky   6-1
#2 Blowout   9-5
#6 Feel Glorious   6-1
 
Analysis: East makes her U.S. debut here landing in the Clement barn. The filly was fifth last out in the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville against a much tougher group than these. She won her first two starts including a Group 3 at seven furlongs at Saint-Cloud last fall. She was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths when third in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) at Longchamp back in May. She should be able to handle this group.
 
Eyeinthesky made a good late rally to get up late and win the Galway at 5 1/2 furlongs. The filly was a good second two back in the Coronation Cup at the same distance. She has two trips at a mile, her best finish a fourth in the Sweet Chant (G3) back in February at Gulfstream Park. However, this is a one turn mile which may suit her better. Pedigree wise she should be able to handle a mile and it looks as if she is going to be a decent price in this spot.
 
Blowout set the early fractions and got caught late in a third-place finish in the lake Placid (G2) over good ground going 1 1/16 miles, beaten neck as the top pair deadheated. She was a good second two back in the Lake George (G3) behind Regal Glory. She won the Wild Applause three back at a mile over the turf here. The Brown trainee owns a solid pace rifle throughout and picks up Johnny V. She has not run a bad one, landing in the exacta in five of her six career starts and looks legit here but is going to be a light price.
 
Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 3,8 / 2,3,6,8
TRI: 3,8 / 2,3,6,8 / 2,3,4,6,8
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Woodbine:
 
CD Race 10 The Iroquois G3 (5:26 ET)
#2 Letmeno   10-1
#8 Dennis' Moment     9-5
#7 Juggernaut   10-1
#6 Flute Maker   8-1
 
Analysis: Letmeno appears capable of pulling off the upset in this spot. The colt broke his maiden in his debut going six furlongs at Ellis Park for a barn not known to have them fully cranked first time out. The colt was dismissed at 20-1, broke a beat slow and made a good late rally to earn his diploma. Next out he went seven furlongs in the Ellis Park Juvenile where he tracked the early pace while saving ground, angled out at the 5/16’s and was shuffled back, came with a bid but flattened out late. The fourth-place finisher in the race was Jersey Town Angel who returned to beat Alw-2L foes at Belterra Park and the sixth-place finisher Two Last Worlds came back to win the state bred Hillsdale at Indiana Grand in his next outing on Wednesday. Our top pick is bred to handle the extra ground. He is by Twirling Candy out of the stakes winner Wicked Mizz ($110,500) who won at a route.
 
Dennis’ Moment had a tough debut, clipping heels and dumping his jock in a race where he was sent off at 5-2 in a field of seen at Churchill Downs. He came back at Ellis Park at 4-5 and grabbed the lead and drew off to win by 19 ¼ lengths and earning a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. The Romans trainee has been popping bullet works in the morning here as he makes his stakes debut and two turn debut. He was a $400,000 purchase and bred to go long, by Tiznow out of an Elusive Quality mare, her first foal to race. Romans is 21% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners form sprint to route. This guy looks tough and the 9-5 morning line looks fair enough, but he seems more likely to go off shorter.
 
Juggernaut took the field gate to wire to break his maiden at Ellis Park going 5 ½ furlongs, drawing clear to win by 6 ¼ lengths. The third-place finisher Something Super came back to graduate in his next start at Ellis Park on Aug. 30. The colt has put in several sharp works over the main track here for his stakes debut. He is by Goldencents out of a Stormy Atlantic mare, her first foal to race. The colt will be in the mix early and likely is going to be a decent price in this spot.
 
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 6-1 or better.
EX: 2,8 / 2,6,7,8
TRI: 2,8 / 2,6,7,8 / 2,3,6,7,8
 
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: #1 Discreet Angel   15-1
R2: #7 Mr. Vincent   10-1
R3: #4 Fuel the Bern   8-1
R5: #6 Fotis   20-1
R6: #2 Harlem Heights   8-1
R7: #5 Scape   12-1
R7: #10 Antoinette   10-1
R8: #10 Positive Skew   8-1
R11: #6 Bid You Adieu   20-1
 
Good luck today!