At the Gate – Friday

With the Saratoga meeting now in the books it is off to Belmont Park for their fall championship meeting which gets underway on Friday and runs until Oct. 27.

With construction next door for the New York Islanders new stadium, racing will have a 3:00 ET post time during the week and 1:00 on Saturdays.

While the meeting runs until Oct. 27, racing will shift to Aqueduct on Oct. 11. It’s possible if construction is not disruptive, racing could continue at Belmont Park later than planned.

The meeting features 45 stakes worth $11.5 million in purse money. There are eight Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races on tap during the meeting including Saturday’s $1 million Jockey Club Derby for three-year-olds with the winner stamping a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).

The opening day feature is the $100,000 Christiecat for three-year-olds fillies going six furlongs on the inner turf course. A field of nine heads to the post led by 3-1 morning line favorite Brooke Marie for the Christophe Clement barn, who is coming off a solid Saratoga meeting.

The filly was fourth in the Galway last out, beaten 1 ¼ lengths for the top spot. There are several in the field that are going to offer more value including Queen of Bermuda (8-1), who is cutting back to a sprint after getting outrun in the Ontario Cotillion (G3) at Woodbine in her last outing.

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 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 Alw $66,000N1X (3:00 ET)
#7 Dreamzapper 8-1
#5 Southern King 6-5
#2 I Love Jaxson 6-1
#8 Irish Valor 9-2

Analysis: Dreamzapper
tracked the early pace and weakened to finish fourth last out against $50,000 starter allowance foes in the slop at nine furlongs at the Spa in a race washed off the grass. The gelding cuts back to a one turn mile and catches a field here void of much early speed. His efforts at Churchill Downs three and four back are good enough to put him in the mix here. The hope is Franco just sends this guy early. He is better on a fast track and figures to bounce back with a better effort here at a decent enough price.

Southern King was outrun early and came with a good late run to finish third last out on turf at Saratoga going a nine furlongs at this level, The top pair returned to win next out, the winner Cross Border beating state bred Alw-2 optional claimers on Aug. 29 at Saratoga. He makes his second start off a six-month layoff here for the Pletcher barn. He is the logical one to beat here but is going to be a puny price.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 5,7 / 2,5,7,8
TRI: 5,7 / 2,5,7,8 / 2,5,6,7,8

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

BEL Race 7 The Christiecat (6:12 ET)
#8 Queen of Bermuda 8-1
#4 Saint Moon 7-2
#7 Turf War 10-1
#6 Comedy 8-1

Analysis: Queen of Bermuda
is back sprinting after fading to finish a well beaten eighth last out in the Ontario Cotillion (G3) going a mile at Woodbine. Two back at 5 1/2 furlongs in the Honey Bee at Monmouth Park she came up the inside, had to steady inside the final furlong to avoid a fallen foe in a runner up finish. The third-place finisher Missmizz came back to win the Blue Sparkler in her next outing on July 14. The Motion barn is 19% winners moving runners form route to sprint and this gal landed in the exacta in 8 of her first 14 career starts. There is not an abundance of speed in here and Bravo should have her a bit closer here. Decent value if she goes off near her 8-1 morning line.

Saint Moon took the field gate to wire to beat Alw-1 foes last out at the Spa. She was a good second two back in the Blue Sparkler, which was her first start against winners. She owns solid early and mid pace numbers and will likely be the one to catch here for the Navarro barn. She put in a bullet drill on Aug. 31 and seem likely to go off lighter than her 7-2 morning line.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 5-1 or better.
EX: 4,8 / 4,6,7,8
TRI: 4,8 / 4,6,7,8 / 3,4,6,7,8

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
R1: #7 Dreamzapper 8-1
R4: #6 Goose 10-1
R5: #1 Saratoga Treasure 8-1
R7: #8 Queen of Bermuda 8-1
R7: #7 Turf War 10-1
R7: #6 Comedy 8-1
R8: #8 Let It Slide 15-1
R8: #7 Beyond Brown 12-1

Good luck today!