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Horse Racing

Horse Races Today: Thursday’s Belmont Park and Churchill Downs Analysis & Odds

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
We are back in action this afternoon at both Belmont Park and Churchill Downs, a couple of good cards at each racetrack.

We have plenty of great action coming up this weekend that includes the $500,000 Stephen Foster (G2) and $200,000 Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The races are “Win and You’re In” races for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Distaff.

There are four graded stakes on tap at Belmont Park on Saturday including the $300,000 Just a Game (G1) and the $250,000 New York Stakes (G2).

The feature on Thursday at Belmont Park is the $80,000 Easy Goer, with a field of six three-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The Christophe Clement trained Casino Grande is the 8-5 morning line favorite.

The colt is perfect in two career starts. He beat first level optional claimers last out at Gulfstream Park on May 16 in an impressive outing going a mile and now makes his stakes debut.

"I think he deserves this chance. He's done everything right so far," Clement said. "It's taken him a while to train as forwardly as he should since he came to Belmont. It's a little overwhelming for him being here, but he'll work things out."

I could not get past him but as you can see below, but I am hoping Celtic Striker can add some value to the exacta. The colt drops out of a couple of Grade 3 races and is 8-1 on the morning line.

My Best Plays Report for Thursday includes my eight strongest plays from Churchill Downs and Belmont Park.

You can catch the action from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs from 1:00 to 6:00 ET on FS2. In addition, you can stream the action using the TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. is offering a risk free bet up to $300 for new players.

To purchase my Belmont Park and Best Plays Reports for Thursday click here .

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 which will include all the major Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races.

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

Belmont Park Race 1 Analysis - 6/25 (1:15 p.m. ET)

BEL Race 1 Md $40,000 (1:15 ET)
#1 Dream Chasing 3-1
#2 Midnight Banker 6-1
#11 Graetz 9-2
#9 Plink Freud 5-2

Analysis: Dream Chasing drops in for a tag for her first start since last November where she checked in fifth in her turf debut. She stalked the early pace and finished evenly, beaten four lengths for the top spot She returns with lasix added for the Clement barn that is 20% winners (with a +ROI) with runners coming back off a +180 day layoff. She is out of a Orientate mare that has dropped two winners and they have both won on turf including stakes winner Dr. Shane ($590,667). This looks like a good spot for her return dropping in for a $40,000 tag.

Midnight Banker also makes her first start for a tag while trying turf for the first time. Last out on the main track at the Big A she dueled for the early lead and could not go with the winner in a runner up finish. She has a decent enough turf pedigree, out of a Joyeux Danseur mare that has dropped one turf winner in Midnight Billy ($181,780). She makes her first start here for the Gullo barn that is 26%winners (with a +ROI) with newcomers to the barn. She is which and there is not that much early zip, signed up to go here.

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Churchill Downs:

Churchill Downs Race 6 Analysis - 6/25 (3:42 p.m. ET)

CD Race 6 Clm $40,000B (3:42 ET)
#7 Angel of Mischief 3-1
#4 Domonette 9-2
#2 Screenwriter 4-1
#3 Fancified 5-1

Analysis: Angel of Mischief drops in for a tag here after stalking the early pace and tiring to finish ninth last out against Alw-2 optional claimers here. The runner up Art of Almost was a next out winner at that level at Woodbine on June 21. Her best effort at this year was off the bench three back where she was a decent third against Alw-2 foes. The cut back to a mile should suit her and she will appreciate the class drop here in for a $40,000 tag and facing non-winners of three.

Domonette returns off a four month break here for the McGee barn that is 24% winners (with a +ROI) with runners coming back off a 61-180-day layoff. Her last win came at five furlongs on turf versus Alw-1 foes at Indian Grand last July. She was ninth in her last two starts at Fair Grounds after a running a good second on poly in stakes company at Turfway Park three back. Her win here was her maiden breaker way back in '17. Slow works on the morning tab but the barn usually has them ready to go off the bench and she drops in class.

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

Belmont Park Race 8 Analysis - 6/25 (5:04 p.m. ET)

BEL Race 8 The Easy Goer (5:04 ET)
#3 Casino Grande 8-5
#1 Celtic Striker 8-1
#6 Toy 8-1
#4 Sonneman 2-1

Analysis: Casino Grande is perfect in two starts. The colt broke his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs going seven furlongs in gate to wire fashion. He stretched out to a mile last out where he tracked the early pace, took command and finished strongly to win by 3 1/4 lengths over a main track at Gulfstream Park that was kind to inside speed. This guy looks capable of moving forward again and owns a solid pace profile throughout.

Celtic Striker dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish sixth last out in the Matt Winn (G3). The colt caught a racing strip that was playing to outside stalkers and closers that day. He was 168-1 in that outing and 135-1 two back in the Gotham (G3) where he was a well beaten 11th. His best effort came three back where he wired t field at Philly to beat Alw-1 optional claimers. He draws the rail and this race does not have much early zip signed up. He faces easier here and is going to be a decent price.

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: #10 Mariner Qui 8-1
R3: #11 Brunate 12-1
R5: #12 Magical Romance 8-1
R6: #1 Lem M Have It 8-1
R7: #3 Valmont 8-1
R8: 31 Celtic Striker 8-1
R8: #6 Toy 8-1
R9: #8 Go Fish 12-1

Good luck today!

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