3 minute read
There may not be a Triple Crown winner this year but Belmont is putting on a huge program of racing.
On Friday there are 3 Grade 2 and Saturday 8 Grade 1s culminating in the 151st running of the Belmont Stakes.
Friday’s Gr 2st start with the True North over 1300m with a field of 10. Catalina Cruiser for John Sadler and Joel Rosario is favourite on 5/2, Whitemore is on 7/2 and Do Share 5/1.
The New York Stakes is over 2000m on turf with 8 runners. Chad Brown saddled the quinella in this last year and could do it again with Homerique on 6/5 and Competitionofideas on 5/2. Holy Helena next best on 9/2.
The Belmont Gold Cup is a very interesting race as it is over 3200m on turf, a rare trip in the USA. Last year it was won by The Queen’s horse but she doesn’t have an entry this year. Favourite is Arklow on 5/2 with Red Knight on 7/2 and last year’s second Canessar is on 9/2.
Saturday’s 8 Gr 1s start with the Longines Just A Game for f&m over 1600m on turf with 7 to run. Rushing Fall is odds-on at 4/5 for Brown and Javier Casellano with Beau Recall the main challenger on 4/1
The Ogden Phipps is also for f& over 1700m on dirt with Midnight Bisou going for her 4th win in a row. Come Dancing the next best of the 5 runners on 6/5.
The Jaipur Invitational is over 1200m on the turf with 9 runners head by World Of Trouble on evens as he goes for a 5th win in a row! Disco Partner won this last year and is on 3/1 with Belvoir Boy on 5/1.
The Acorn is for 3yo fillies and is over 1600m, with 9 of then lining up. Guarana is favourite on 2/1 for Chad Brown and J-L Ortiz but we like Serengeti Empress on 5/2 and third fav is Ce Ce with Victor Espinoza in the irons.
The Woody Stephens is over 1400m and has 11 starters. Mind Control won a Gr 3 at his latest outing and has won at Gr 1 level so is favourite here on 5/2. Complexity is on 4/1 and 5/1 available for West Coast shipper Much Better – Baffert and Smith.
The Runhappy Metropolitan is for 3y+ over 1600m and 9 go to post. Baffert and Smith are here again with McKinzie who is on 5/2. Mitole is 3/1, Firenze Fire – an old friend – is on 4/1 and Godolphin are here with Thunder Snow, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and Christophe Soumillon takes the ride.
The Manhattan Stakes is over 2000m on turf and here Bricks And Mortar, by Giant’s Causeway, is now with Chad Brown and will have Irad Ortiz on board. They are on 7/5 with Channel Maker on 9/2 and the Chilean-bred Robert Bruce on 6/1, also a Chad Brown pupil.
And the Belmont Stakes which is over 2400m. Bill Mott’s Tacitus was a commendable fourth in the Kentucky Derby and did not go to the Preakness so has been well-prepared for this and has top jockey José Luis Ortiz on board. They are 9/5 with Preakness winner War Of Will is on 2/1 and the Japanese runner Master Fencer is in with a very good chance after his 6th in the Kentucky Derby where he produced the fastest finish over the last 200m. There’s a field of 10 and it promises to be a very exciting race.
