Friday’s Picks from Belmont Park

We are just four weeks until the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland on Nov. 6-7 and the final five “Win and You’re In” race swill be decided this weekend at Belmont Park.

We have an 11-race card on Saturday that is highlighted by four Breeders’ Cup Challenge races. On Sunday the $100,000 Futurity (G3) closes out the major Breeders’ Cup preps with a berth on the line for the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2).

The winner of the $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Saturday earns a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). The race came up light with just five entered.

The Bill Mott trained Tacitus is the even money favorite on the morning line. The colt was the runner up in the Woodward Handicap (G1) at Saratoga in his last outing. He was third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes (G1) last year.

The $250,000 Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) winner stamps a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Trainer Chad Brown has dominated the Flower Bowl, winning in five of the last six years.

Brown will send out three of the seven in the field including 5-2 morning line favorite Cambier Parc.

The $250,000 Frizette (G1) is a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Seven go to the post including Spinaway (G1) winner Vequist (2-1) and impressive maiden winner Cantata, who is the 9-5 morning line favorite.

The $250,000 Champagne (G1) winner will earn a start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Six go to the post led by the Steve Asmussen trained Jackie’s Warrior, who is the 3-5 morning line favorite. The colt is perfect in three starts, winning the Saratoga Special (G2) and Hopeful (G1) in his last two outings.

I will have my full card report for the big day available later tonight.

You can catch the action from Belmont Park today from 3:00 to 6:00 ET on FS2.  In addition, you can stream the action on YouTube or by using the TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. is offering a risk free bet up to $300 for new players.

To purchase my Belmont Park Report for Friday click here .

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package. It gives you a month of Belmont Park Reports daily, my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday and my two-day Breeders’ Cup Reports.

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

BELMONT PARK RACE 1 ANALYSIS (12:50 P.M. ET)

Race 1 Clm $25,000

  • #3 Team Win   6-1
  • #4 Awesome Alana   6-1
  • #1 Flat Awesome Jenny   5-1
  • #5 Bossy Bride   5-2

Analysis: Team Win hit the gate and stumbled coming out of the gate and faded to finish seventh going seven furlongs on the main track at the Spa in a race taken off the turf. Two back on turf for this tag she came with a good late run to finish third. His previous start on a fast main track came last summer at the Spa where he beat $50,000 starter allowance foes in her first start against winners. She reunites with Saez who was aboard two back and the extra ground here suits. She can bounce back with a much better effort here with a cleaner break.

Awesome Alana set the early fractions and could not hold off the winner in a runner up finish versus state bred $25,000 foes last out on turf going a mile. It was her first go off a 5 1/2 month and her first start for Rice off the claim. He is in with open maidens here but the switch back to the main track suits him and he should be tighter second off the bench for Rice. The trainer is 20% winners moving runners from turf to dirt.

BELMONT PARK RACE 8 ANALYSIS (4:47 P.M. ET)

Race 8 Alw $65,000N1X

  • #7 Fed Funds   10-1
  • #8 Mischief Afoot   7-2
  • #3 Adare   3-1
  • #4 Forza Di Oro   5-1

Analysis: Fed Funds goes a route of ground for the first time here for the DePaz barn that is 44% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route. The gelding broke his maiden in his second career start for a $30,000 tag and then beat $50,000 starter allowance foes in his first start against winners. Last out he saved ground early, came out for a six wide run and made a mild late run to finish fourth going seven furlongs at the Spa. He sure has the pedigree to handle more ground, by Lemon Drop Kid out of a Forest Wildcat mare. He does not need to move forward all that much to be in the mix here at a decent price.

Mischief Afoot was bumped coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace while saving ground and could not go with the winner while nearly five lengths clear of the rest of the field in his first start against winners. The winner was Danny California, who came back to win the Miner's Mark in his next outing on Sept. 18 here. It took this guy six tries to break his maiden but the son of Into Mischief seems to have things figured out now. Saez sticks and he handled the main track here at a mile last October in his second career start, a decent third.

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: #3 Southerner   8-1
  • R3: #8 Beuer’s Remorse   8-1
  • R3: #5 Zerenia   8-1
  • R5: #7 Jack the Cat   8-1
  • R6: #10 Vicar’s Legend   8-1
  • R7: #8 Fly Fly Away   8-1
  • R8: #7 Fed Funds   10-1

Good luck today!