Key Races & Bets for Saturday May 11, 2024
Race 5 at Belmont at the Big A- Post Time 2:36 PM Eastern
Contenders: Borletti, Marathoner, Devil’s Cay
Add for off turf: Lookin’ Super, High Heat
This race at six furlongs on turf kicks off a great three race sequence including two stakes. Borletti has won two of seven since importing to the U.S. last September, all on dirt. However, he is bred to like the turf although he’s 0 for eight on it, but only 0 for 2 in the U.S., with both those races under a previous trainer’s care. Now in the Dutrow barn, Borletti, nearly won (missing by a nose) off the claim at this distance on dirt, then finished fourth in a race where he had significant traffic trouble. Irad Ortiz, Jr. gets on and that’s a big sign for his best race yet at Ortiz, Jr. and Dutrow are 8 for 23 together, including 5 for 7 at Aqueduct (and Belmont at the Big A) in the past two years. The 92 Equibase Speed figure Borletti earned when missing by a nose one back is the top recent figure by any horse in the field and that gives him a good shot to emerge victorious here.
Key Races & Bets for Saturday May 3 and May 4, 2024
Friday May 3 Westchester Stakes (Grade 3) – Race 8 at Belmont – Post Time 4:42 PM Eastern
Contenders:
Charge It won the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes last July at a mile and one-eighth and has won at a mile and one-sixteenth and this one milt trip around one turn, twice. One of those was in the 2022 Dwyer Stakes as a three year old where he crushed the field by 23 lengths with a sparkling 114 Equibase Speed Figure. Something caused him to go to the sidelines for seven months after that and he returned with a 109 figure winning easily. Proving himself stakes quality again, Charge It finished second in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile (around one turn like the Westchester) then two later he won the Suburban before three 4th place efforts in a row including the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Being off for five months and having fired to win off a seven month layoff, there’s no concern about the layoff and frankly, his best race is good enough to win and it appears based on consistent workouts for Pletcher, that should happen.
Key Races & Bets for Saturday October 14th, 2023
Sands Point Stakes – Race 2 at Belmont at the Big A – Post Time 1:08 PM Eastern Top win contenders: Eternal Hope, Neecie MarieOther win contenders: Root CauseContenders for […]
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