Several tracks are set to deliver some top-notch horse racing today across North America, highlighted by a stellar card at Belmont Park in New York.
Our focus is going to be at the “Big Sandy,” where several deep and wide-open fields take center stage on the 10-race program, which includes the $80,000 Flat Out Stakes.
Here are the featured plays at Belmont Park, along with some interesting multi-race wagers I have thrown in for racing across the border at Woodbine and this evening at Evangeline Downs, where we hit our featured Daily Double and Pick 3 plays on Wednesday’s card.
BELMONT PARK
Race 2
Time: 1:50 p.m. ET
I am starting things off with this difficult $46,000 Claiming race, scheduled to go 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt track.
My top pick in this eight-horse field is No. 4 Who’s in Charge (5-2), who gets jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the ride. Trainer Danny Gargan is hoping his 4-year-old colt by Take Charge Indy can pick up his third win in four career starts. His last outing back in January at Aqueduct was a winning one, so he should be well rested coming into this race.
Ortiz came out of the gates in top form during opening week at Belmont, which just adds to the morning-line favorite’s appeal.
Bet Who’s in Charge across the board in your Win-Place-Show wagering. I am going to box him with No. 6 Stage Left (4-1), No. 7 Blacktop Legend (7-2) and No. 8 Tapizearance (8-1) on my exacta ticket. Put Who’s in Charge and Stage Left on top of your trifecta wager, with the others and No. 3 Vintage Hollywood at 9-2 odds.
The bets:
- $7 Win/Place/Show: No. 4 Who’s in Charge (5-2) — $21 Ticket
- $2 exacta box wager: 4/6/7/8 — $24 Ticket
- $1 trifecta wager: 4/6 over 4/6/7/8 over 3/4/6/7/8 — $18 Ticket
[Bet Race 2 at Belmont now at TVG and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]
Race 7
Time: 4:32 p.m. ET
My top selection here is No. 4 Chestertown (1-1), who is the class of the field in this $56,000 Allowance event that is scheduled to go 1 1/16 miles on the dirt.
Trainer Steve Asmussen has jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle for Chestertown, who was a disappointing eighth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby back in March in his most recent outing. However, despite that poor effort in the Kentucky Derby prep race, Chestertown remains the class of the field and should land in the winner’s circle competing against this bunch.
I gave Chestertown the slight edge over No. 5 Our Last Buck (7-2), who goes out for trainer Michelle Nevin. Use both horses on top of your exotic wagers, with No. 2 Kid d’Oro (12-1), No. 3 Danny California (6-1) and No. 8 Beg To Differ (8-1) on the back end of your exacta and trifecta plays.
The bets:
- $8 Win/Place/Show: No. 4 Chestertown (1-1) — $24 Ticket
- $2 exacta wager: 4/5 over 3/4/5/8 — $24 Ticket
- $1.50 trifecta wager: 4/5 over 3/4/5/8 over 2/3/4/5/8— $27 Ticket
[Bet Race 7 at Belmont now at TVG and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]
Race 9: Flat Out Stakes
Time: 5:36 p.m. ET
It isn’t that often you see a former Triple Crown race winner showing up in a lower-level stakes competition, but that’s where we are in Belmont’s featured event.
And I am making No. 4 Sir Winston (8-5) — the 2019 Belmont Stakes winner — my top selection in this competitive $80,000 stakes race that is scheduled to go 1 3/8 miles on the dirt.
Trainer Mark Casse has to feel confident in Sir Winston’s chances, largely due to his success in last year’s Belmont and knowing he can get the distance on this track. A win here could springboard the horse and connections into something much bigger down the road this season.
Jockey Joel Rosario maintains the mount and should have Sir Winston rolling when they come down the long stretch at Belmont, with not a ton of pace to close into in front of him.
Play Sir Winston across the board and on top of your exotics with No. 9 Adventist at 9-2 odds. I am going to use No. 2 Rocketry (7-2), No. 5 Legit (8-1), No. 6 Expert (10-1) and No. 7 Blugrascat’s Smile (15-1) underneath in my exacta and trifecta wagers.
The bets:
- $9 Win/Place/Show: No. 4 Sir Winston (8-5) — $27 Ticket
- $3 exacta wager: 4/9 over 2/6/7/9 — $18 Ticket
- $2 trifecta wager: 4/9 over 2/4/9 over 2/4/5/6/7/9 — $32 Ticket
[Bet the Flat Out Stakes now at TVG and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]
Favorite Multi-Race Wagers at Belmont Park
- Pick 3 (Races 3-4-5): 1,2,6,7,10 / 2,6,7,8 / 3,5 ($0.50 Pick 3 = $20 Ticket)
- Daily Double (Races 5 and 6): 5 / 5,6,8,9,10,11,12 ($3 Daily Double = $21 Ticket)
- Daily Double (Races 9 and 10): 4,9 / 2,3,5,7,8,11,12 ($2 Daily Double = $28 Ticket)
BONUS PLAYS
Favorite Multi-Race Wagers at Woodbine
- Pick 3 (Races 4-5-6): 2,3,6,8,9 / 1,2,4,6,7,8 / 5,8 ($0.50 Pick 3 = $30 Ticket)
- Daily Double (Races 7 and 8): 5,7 / 4,5,7,9,11 ($2.50 Daily Double = $25 Ticket)
Favorite Multi-Race Wagers at Evangeline Downs
- Pick 3 (Races 1-2-3): 2,3,6,7 / 2,6,7,8,11,12 / 1,2 ($0.50 Pick 3 = $24 Ticket)
- Daily Double (Races 8 and 9): 4,6 / 2,4,6,8,10,11 ($2.50 Daily Double = $30 Ticket)
[Bet now at TVG and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]
