It was a slop fest on opening day of the Belmont Park meeting on Friday, and it could be more of the same on Saturday.
However, rain or shine, the racing at Belmont Park on Saturday is solid, despite the fact we likely are going to have a wet track and the races will probably be taken off the turf with the exception of the $300,000 Garden City Stakes (G1).
The Garden City drew a field of nine three year old fillies, led by American Oaks (G1) winner Gozzip Girl, who has won five of her eight career starts for earnings of $782,194.
I am going to try to beat her for the top spot with the outsider Keertana, who is sitting at a generous 10/1 on the morning line.
The daughter of Johar is coming off a good runner up finish behind Shared Account in the Lake Placid (G2) at Saratoga on August 21, a race that was contested over a soft turf course.
Earlier in the card, a field of six will go to the post in the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap (G1).
The heavy favorite is going to be Seventh Street, the Godolphin filly who has won five of her eight career starts including the Go for Wand (G1) in the slop in her most recent outing at Saratoga.
She finds a good spot here to pick up her third career Grade 1 victory. The only filly in here I give a chance of beating her is Be Fair, who might actually go off at a decent price.
The D. Wayne Lukas trainee exits the Alabama (G1), where she was the pacesetter while traveling down along a dull rail and a racing strip that was more favorable to outside stalkers and closers.
To purchase my full card report for Belmont Park that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today click here.
Here is today's opening race from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Clm $25,000B (1:00 ET)
#6 Laysh Laysh Laysh 5/1
#3 Remarkable Storm 4/1
#11 Volos 3/1
#7 Lyke a Hurricane 2/1
Analysis: #6 Laysh Laysh Laysh gets the call and I am assuming we are going to be off the turf here in the opener. This colt has not seen the winners circle since beating Alw-1 optional claimers on the inner dirt at the Big A in January of '08. He has been in the mix a few times, mostly settling for third, eight times in his 22-race career. He drops in for a tag here and finds what looks like a weak spot here. Last out against Alw-2 optional claimers he stalked the early pace and weakened to finish eighth and last at Monmouth Park. The winner Lucky James came back to win a $75K NJ bred stake in his next start on August 23. The colt has a second and a third in two trips over a wet track and we should catch a fair price.
#3 Remarkable Storm has been beaten by double digit lengths in each of his last three starts. Four back he beat state bred Alw-1 foes going six furlongs on the turf, a career top. Ramon sticks for the high percentage Parisella barn and this guy also has run well over wet tracks, landing in the money in three of four starts.
Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 3,6,7,11
TRI: 3,6 / 3,6,7,11 / 3,4,6,7,11
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 8 Garden City S. G1 (4:43 ET)
#9 Keertana 10/1
#1 Gozzip Girl 2/1
#6 Shared Account 4/1
#8 Maram 3/1
Analysis: #9 Keertana is coming off a solid effort in a runner up finish behind #6 Shared Account in the Lake Placid, beaten a length for the top spot. The filly took four tries before she could beat Alw-1 foes but she has stepped into stakes company after that win and held her own. She won the Regret (G3) three back in her stakes debut, which was over ground labeled good. She then shipped to Indiana Downs and won the Indiana Downs Distaff two back. She is going to need a career top to win here, but we should catch a fair price and she has shown an ability to handle ground with some give to it.
#1 Gozzip Girl is the one to beat here off her American Oaks (G1) win when shipped to the left coast. The runner up in that race was Well Monied, who came back to run third in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) on August 22. She has won four straight on turf, including a wire job two back over yielding turf in the Sands Point (G2). She is the lone Grade 1 winner in the field and tough to find any knocks on her except for the likely short price.
Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 6/1 or better.
EX: 1,9 / 1,6,8,9
TRI: 1,9 / 1,6,8,9 / 1,6,7,8,9
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: #2 Morine’s Victory / #2b Raceland 10/1
R3: #8 Saumon Fume 15/1
R4: #3 Be Fair 8/1
R6: #2 Big Top 12/1
R7: #7 Unbridled Fury 8/1
R7: #6 Litigation Risk 8/1
R7: #5 Lambeau Legend 8/1
R8: #9 Keertana 10/1
R10: #15 Sal Paradise 8/1
R10: #16 Orrsville 12/1
Good luck today!
