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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Friday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
The feature at Belmont Park on Friday is the $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard for New York bred juveniles going seven furlongs on the main track with a field of eight lining up.

The Steve Asmussen trained Bankit is the 5-2 morning line favorite and just missed by a nose in the state bred Funny Cide last out. The colt could not take full advantage of a racing strip that was playing to inside speed and we will try and beat him today with Frosted Ice who is 6-1 on the morning line.

The Ronald Moquette trainee was a good looking maiden winner in his second career start at Saratoga, drawing off to win by 5 ½ lengths and we should catch a fair price.

We have a pair of graded stakes company up at Belmont Park on Saturday—the $300,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) and the $200,000 Noble Damsel (G3).

The Kelso drew a field of seven led by Battle of Midway, the 2-1 morning line favorite. The Jerry Hollendorfer trainee was second to Catalina Cruiser in the Pat O’Brien (G2) in his last outing at Del Mar. That start was his first since winning the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) last fall.

Among his foes are Sunny Ridge (3-1), Patternrecognition (9-2) and No Dozing (4-1).

The Noble Damsel drew a field of six fillies and mares that will travel one mile on the turf, which hopefully by Saturday will be back to firm. We were still yielding on Thursday and two of the races were moved to the main track.

The Chad Brown trained Uni is the 7-5 morning line favorite. The filly won the restricted De La Rose over soft footing at Saratoga on Aug. 4 in her last outing.

Brown also sends out the 2-1 second choice Dream Awhile, who was beaten just a neck in the Matchmaker (G3) at Monmouth Park in her last start on July 29.

On Saturday we will also head out to Parx Racing for a pair of $1 million Grade 1 races, the Pennsylvania Derby and the Cotillion.

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package. It gives you a month of Belmont Park 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 Clm $12,500 (1:30 ET)
#5 Lou's Chardonnay 3-1
#2 Loose 2-1
#1 Asian's Way 8-5
#4 Dean's Ticket 6-1

Analysis: Lou's Chardonnay drops in for a $12,500 tag her after getting claimed for $25,000 last out by the Rice barn. The filly stalked the early pace and came up empty in the stretch in a fourth-place finish. The barn is 30% winners first off the claim and looks well spotted here jammed in for half the price. She was a sharp winner two back beating $14,000 non-winners of three by 6 1/4 lengths. Looking for her to bounce back with a much better effort in this spot.

Loose chased the early pace and could not get to the winner in deeps stretch in a runner up finish last out for this tag, edging Asian's Way by a neck that foe coming back to beat $20,000 in her next outing and drew the rail in here. Our second choice was claimed out of her last outing by the Tony D. barn that has been very quiet in '18, just 2 for 29. She won for this tag two back while in the RRRod barn. She owns solid early and mid pace numbers and is reunited with Junior who was aboard her for her last five wins.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 2,5 / 1,2,5
TRI: no play

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

BEL Race 9 The Bertram F. Bongard (5:50 ET)
#8 Frosted Ice 6-1
#7 Bustin to Be Loved 9-2
#5 Bankit 5-2
#1 Risp 7-2

Analysis: Frosted Ice was off a beat slow in his debut and made a mild late run to finish fourth behind Bankit. He came back with a sharp looking maiden score in his second start, drawing off to win by 5 1/2 lengths. The Moquette trainee won as if there is still plenty left in the tank and will appreciate the extra furlong here. Decent value if he goes off near his 6-1 morning line.

Bustin to Be Loved stumbled coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace and could not make up any ground late in a third-place finish in the Funny Cide. He caught a racing strip that was kind to inside speed that day. He broke his maiden in a sharp win two back at the Spa with the runner up Just Right coming back to graduate in his next outing on Aug. 27. The $80,000 Ocala purchase is out of a stakes placed Prime Timber mare and has posted a couple of good works since his last start. Contessa is off to a good start at the meeting and his younger stock have been running really well.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 1,5,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 1,5,7,8 / 1,5,6,7,8

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
R2: #4 Currency Chaos 12-1
R3: #6 Sienna Blue Eyes 8-1
R4: #5 Ostrolenka 10-1
R6: #12 Psychic Energy 8-1
R7: #3 Ventry Bay 12-1
R8: #8 Flat Calm 12-1
R10: #9 Milardo 12-1
R10: #6 testy Kitten 8-1

Good luck today!

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