Friday’s Picks from Belmont

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

13 minute read

The Breeders’ Cup is now just a week away, and after the Triple Crown races were turned upside down in 2020, we got a hint things could get back to some semblance of normalcy in 2021.

Churchill Downs announced yesterday that the 2021 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for the first Saturday of May.

Bloodhorse reported that in a conference call, CEO Bill Carstanjen said, “We've already begun preparations for the 147th Kentucky Derby, which will be run on May 1, 2021. We do not anticipate moving off our traditional date of the first Saturday in May.”

"We are starting with the assumption that we will limit the number of reserved seats to 40% to 50% of capacity and we will delay selling any general admission tickets—which do not come with seats—until we are closer to the date of the Derby,” he added.

We will take any kind of good news we can get.

The rains came as expected on Thursday at Belmont Park. I never get too excited about wagering on so many off the turf races, but we ended up with a solid day with four top winners on the nine-race card.

More rain is in the forecast for Friday, and I expect again we will be off the turf and the main track figures to be off.

You can catch the action from Belmont Park today from 12:30 to 6:00 ET on FS2. Also, you can stream the action on YouTube or by using the TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. offers 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, and 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 (12:40 P.M. ET)

BEL Race 1 Md Sp Wt

• #6 Highway Bound 4-1
• #1 Digital Future 8-5
• #3 Nepotism 7-5
• #5 Thruster 9-2

Analysis: Highway Bound was off poorly and never got untracked in his debut, going 6 1/2 furlongs here. Sent off at 8-1 in a field of nine. He returns here with blinkers added for the Mott barn that is 17% winner with second out maidens. The colt is by Into Mischief out of the stakes winner Seventh Street ($716,000), who has dropped four other foals to race with a pair of winners, Grade 2 winner Lake Avenue ($225,489), and stakes-placed Marking ($426,200). The colt is bred to like a wet track. A clean break, and he should give a better account of himself here.

Digital Future debuts for the Brown barn that is 20% winners with first-timers. The colt is by Street Boss out of a Malibu Moon mare that has dropped one winner. A couple of bullet works on the morning tab at Monmouth Park. He looks ready to fire at first asking.

BELMONT PARK RACE 7 ANALYSIS (3:55 P.M. ET)

BEL Race 7 Alw $82,000N1X

• #11 A Little Faith 6-1
• #13 Fiftyshays Ofgreen 5-2
• #16 Solitary Gem 9-2
• #15 Big Benny's Tribute 8-1

Analysis: A Little Faith dueled for the early lead and weakened in the stretch to finish fourth last in her last outing, going six furlongs on the turf here. This gal has not been on the main track, a three-time winner on turf, passing her two state-bred conditions. She has a pedigree where she should handle a wet track if Motion chooses to run here. She has worked okay on dirt and should end up a fair price.

Fiftyhshays Ofgreen stalked the early pace and came with a good wide run to finish in the runner up spot going two turns at Philly at this level. This gal ran third in the Busanda back in February at Aqueduct. She now lands with the Rice barn and returns off a short break. She is bred top and bottom to handle the off going by Bernardini out of a Touch Gold mare.

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

• R3: #2 Krubera 8-1
• R4: #1 Frosted Bourbon 8-1
• R5: #9 Orpheus 8-1
• R7: #15 Big Benny’s Tribute 8-1
• R9: #10 Superfecto 8-1

Good luck today!

VegasInsider Staff

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