At the Gate - Sunday
By Mike Dempsey
Dame Dorothy got several breaks in Saturday’s $150,000 Bed O” Roses Handicap (G3) and got the job done as the betting favorite, returning $3.50 for the win.
First, my top pick La Verdad was a late scratch and then Room for Me blew the break, giving the Todd Pletcher trainee a rather easy early lead and she took the field gate to wire.
Street Story completed the exacta, which we had, but it came back at just $12.60.
At Santa Anita, Stellar Wind did not disappoint as our top pick and the betting favorite, winning the $200,000 Summertime Oaks (G2), returning $2.80.
She had to work for it, as Tara’s Tango held on gamely until the final jumps, getting beaten just a nose. The $2 recommended exacta paid a puny $7.40.
There is a two-day Pick 6 carryover at Belmont Park for Sunday that starts at $96,026. We have a good nine race card on tap including a pair of New York Stallion Series races, but the weather may not cooperate.
The feature at Monmouth Park is the $150,000 Pegasus (G3), and again the weather may play a role. There is rain in the forecast for this morning with clearing this afternoon, so we could see a fast track by post time of the Pegasus.
Here is today’s opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Alw $50,000s (1:20 ET)
3 Special Ops 9-5
6 Quimet 6-1
5 Toohottoevenspeak 2-1
1 Uncharted Course 12-1
Analysis: Special Ops came off a two month break last out and could not get by the winner in the stretch in a runner up finish at this level, beaten two lengths while better than nine lengths clear of the rest of the field. The gelding ran well in a runner up finish over a wet track while in the maiden ranks and is bred to ranks the off going. He looks tough in this spot.
Quimet tracked the early pace, came with a four wide bid and did not have enough punch left late in a fourth place finish at this level. The gelding mixed it up in stakes company in his three previous starts after a good runner up finish against t Alw-1 optional claimers in his first start against winners at Gulfstream Park back in February. He catches easier here and the 6-1 morning line looks fair enough to give him a look here.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 8-5 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 3,5,6
TRI: no play
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 6 The New York Stallion (3:55 ET)
9 Freudie Anne 3-1
6 Dreamboat Annie 7-2
2 Perfect Freud 10-1
3 Laura's Patriot 12-1
Analysis: Freudie Anne took the field gate to wire to beat state bred Alw-2 optional claimers on turf last out. She has won four of her seven career starts and two of those have come on the main track. She was a well-beaten fifth in her lone trip over a wet track, but that came in the state bred Gimma in her first start against winners. She comes in here sharp and has a decent enough off track pedigree if this comes off the turf as I expect it to.
Dreamboat Annie was a sharp winner last out going six furlongs on turf beating state bred Alw-1 foes. Her lone go on dirt came two back where she was third in a New York Stallion Series race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct. She still appears to have some upside and looks like a good fit on dirt or turf. Out of an Honor and Glory mare, she should be able to handle a wet track.
Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 6,9 / 2,3,6,9
TRI: 6,9 / 2,3,6,9 / 1,2,3,6,9
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Monmouth Park:
MTH Race 11 The Pegasus G3 (5:43 ET)
7 Chipit 3-1
8 Good Pick Nick 4-1
6 Mr. Jordan 5-2
1 Dontbetwithbruno 5-1
Analysis: Chipit is a very promising looking runner from the Pletcher barn and he makes his stakes debut here. The colt won his first two starts at Gulfstream Park, a game winner last out against Alw-1 optional claimers going seven furlongs. He has plenty of pedigree to handle the stretch out to two turns, by Tapit out of an Awesome Again mare. The barn is 25% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route. If the track is still wet that should not pose a problem for this guy, who is bred to handle the off going.
Good Pick Nick ships in from New York for the McLaughlin barn off a good second against Alw-1 optional claimers in his first go against winners. He broke his maiden two back going a one-turn mile in his fourth career start. The $625,000 Keeneland purchase is also bred to handle a wet track.
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 1,6,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 1,6,7,8 / 1,4,6,7,8
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: #1 Uncharted Course 12-1
R5: #8 Luca Too 12-1
R6: #2 Perfect Freud 10-1
R6: #3 Laura’s Patriot 12-1
R8: #9 Goodtolook 12-1
R9: #7 Pecorino 8-1
Good luck today!
