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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Wednesday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
The Triple Crown is now in the books and we only have 141 more days until the Breeders’ Cup which is scheduled to be run at Santa Anita on November 1 and 2.

With a spate of mounting equine deaths at Santa Anita and the intense media scrutiny, I am hoping the Breeders’ Cup does the wise thing and moves the event to Churchill Downs and the comfy confines of Kentucky.

The three-year-old division is completely up in the air and may not be decided until the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) when they take on their elders in November.

We had three different horses win the Triple Crown races and of course Maximum Security, who crossed the wire first in one but was disqualified for interference.

Preakness (G1) winner War of Will had a shot of becoming the leader in the clubhouse but tossed in a dud on Saturday. He was the only three-year-old this year that competed in all of the Triple Crown races.

We do not have to wait long to see the top three-year-olds back in action. The Haskell Invitational (G1) would be the next local target on July 20.

Then we have the Travers (G1) at Saratoga on August 24 and the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing on Sept. 21.

In addition to the Triple Crown race winners and Maximum Security, we may still hear from Omaha Beach, who would have been the Derby favorite before having minor throat surgery.

And Tacitus and Game Winner could still come out on top of the division by November. It should be an interesting summer after a somewhat unsatisfying Triple Crown this spring.

On the bright side Wednesday racing at Belmont Park is finally back!

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package for just $99.95. 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 Wednesday click here.

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

BEL Race 1 Md $50,000 (1:30 ET)
#1 Freedom Prince 9-2
#3 Machine Learning 2-1
#5 Zorbed 4-5
#4 Soul Fight 8-1

Analysis: Freedom Prince showed some early zip in his debut and then faded to finish a well beaten seventh in his debut going 6 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct at 26-1. The winner Pulsate came back to beat Alw-1 optional claimers and then run second in the Paradise Creek in his next two starts. He stretches out to a route and catches a field without much early speed. His best shot might be to clear early breaking from the rail. He is the first foal to race out of a stakes placed Pollard's Vision mare and has the pedigree to handle the extra ground.

Machine Learning faded to finish a well beaten 10th in his debut at Gulfstream Park going long on turf, sent off at 9-2 in a field of 13. he returns with a class drop, blinkers on and as a gelding. The barn is 19% winners dropping runner from maiden special to maiden claiming. He is out of a Touch Gold mare that has dropped five other foals to race, all winners. Solid works on the main track at Monmouth Park.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 1 / 3,5
TRI: no play

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

BEL Race 8 OClm $40,000N2X (5:18 ET)
#10 First Appeal 8-1
#11 High Jingo 3-1
#2 Broken Border 9-2
#5 Pinchbeck 15-1

Analysis: First Appeal was not off cleanly last out and after racing next to last year made up a bit of ground in a sixth-place finish against Alw-1 optional claimers at Gulfstream Park going five furlongs. The runner up Catharsis came back to win the Nicole's Dream in her next outing on June 9 at Gulfstream Park. She goes from one sharp barn to another, Cox taking over here who is 23% winners with newcomers to the barn and having a strong meeting, winning at a 36% clip. He will appreciate in against state breds here. Three of her six career starts have come on the turf here. Castellano takes the call and the 8-1 morning line looks generous.

High Jingo is one of two in here sent out by the Servis barn. This gal makes her first start since taking state bred Alw-1 foes gate to wire last June here at seven furlongs. A light work tab but Servis gets the ready to go off the bench, winning at a 45% clip (with a +ROI) with runners coming back off a +180-day layoff. Saez takes the call and this gal should be right in the mix early in this spot.

Wagering
WIN: #10 to win at 5-1 or better.
EX: 10,11 / 2,5,10,11
TRI: 10,11 / 2,5,10,11 / 2,5,9,10,11

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: #4 Soul Fight 8-1
R3: #32 Positive Power 15-1
R4: #2 Mohican 8-1
R5: #5 Poker Game 10-1
R6: #9 Mz Seb Pat 8-1
R7: #7 Ocean Monarch 8-1
R8: #10 First Appeal 8-1
R8: #5 Pinchbeck 15-1
R9: #2 Elenzee 8-1

Good luck today!

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