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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Friday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
Coming up tomorrow we will head out to the Jersey Shore for a little stakes action that includes the $300,000 United Nations (G1), one of four stakes on the Monmouth Park card.

A field of eight will line up in this fixture, a 1 3/8-mile test on turf that drew a field of eight.

The U.N has been won by some very good turf horses over the years including Round Table, Dr. Fager, Manila, Lure and English Channel. Last year’s winner was Big Picture, trained by Mike Maker.

Of course, trainer Chad Brown has saddled a couple of winners recently. He won with Big Blue Kitten in 2013 and again in 2015.




Maker will be represented this year by the defending champ, who is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. The gelding won the Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland on yielding ground in his last outing. Maker also sends out Zulu Alpha (4-1), who was seventh in the Man O’ War (G1) in his last start.

Brown will send out the 2-1 morning line favorite Focus Group, who was the beaten favorite in a sixth-place finish in the Wan O’ War in his last start. He won the Pan American (G2) in his previous outing. Also sent out by Brown will be the Brazilian bred Arrocha (12-1), who was eighth in the Ft. Marcy (G3) in his U.S. debut.

The card includes the $150,000 Philip H. Iselin S (G3) and the $150,000 Eatontown (G3). The weather forecast for Saturday is picture perfect and I will include the stakes action in my Best Plays Report.

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package for just $99.95. It gives you a month of Aqueduct daily and Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.

To purchase my Belmont Park Reports for Friday click here .

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

BEL Race 1 Md $25,000 (1:30 ET)
#3 Know Point Given 6-1
#1 Incredible Miss 4-5
#2 Ross of Dublin 7-2
#4 Ask Contrition 12-1

Analysis: Know Point Given stretches out to a mile here after stalking the early pace and coming with a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot last out going six furlongs. The filly caught a racing strip last out that was playing to inside speed. This gal has now come up short 18 times and has a low-profile barn and jock in her corner. She was badly outrun two and three back, but she really does not need to move forward much off her last effort to pull off a mild upset in this spot.

Incredible Miss makes her local debut and second start off the bench. Last out for a $35,0000 tag at Gulfstream Park she stalked the early pace and finished evenly in a third-place finish. She was beaten just a neck for the runner up spot. The Pletcher barn is 14% winners with runners making their second start off a +180-day layoff as they tend to fire first out. She has more upside that most of this group and has a decent off-track pedigree.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 1,3 / 1,2,3,4
TRI: 1,3 / 1,2,3,4 / 1,2,3,4,5

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

BEL Race 8 OClm $80,000C (5:18 ET)
#10 Brooke Marie 4-1
#11 Golconda 6-1
#12 Helen's Tiger 10-1
#5 Catch a Thril 7-2

Analysis: Brooke Marie makes her second start off the bench here for the Clement barn. Last out off the layoff the filly stalked the early pace and came with a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot at 17-1. She broke her maiden on the main track here last fall but has handled turf, landing in the money in three of four trips. She should be tighter second off the layoff here for a barn that is 35% winners (with a +ROI) with runners making their second start off a +180-day layoff. A decent enough off-track pedigree if we are off the turf.

Golconda drops out of stakes company where she was sixth in the Herecomesthebride (G3) going long in her U.S. debut off a 5 1/2-month layoff and then was fourth last out in the Mizdirection at Aqueduct over good ground going six furlongs. Now she goes from Brown to the Servis barn that is 37% winners (with a +ROI) with newcomers to the barn but pretty tough to move forward runners leaving Brown. She broke her maiden in France at six furlongs on turf and she looks primed for a top effort in her third start of the year. The barn is solid with runners coming off short breaks.

Wagering
WIN: #10 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 10,11 / 5,10,11,12
TRI: 10,11 / 5,10,11,12 / 5,8,10,11,12

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 Ask Contrition 12-1
R2: #3 Duc Boy 8-1
R2: #8 It’s a Kite Pazible 8-1
R3: #4 Bronx Bomber 12-1
R4: #1 American Lincoln 8-1
R5: #7 Solitary Gem 10-1
R5: #4 Needs to Know 12-1
R6: #7 Discretionary Marq 8-1
R8: #12 Helen’s Tiger 10-1
R9: #6 Dr. Devera’s Way 12-1

Good luck today!

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