Summer/Fall Racing: Belmont Festival of Racing

June 3 - 6

Belmont Stakes Weekend

The big extended racing weekend kicked off at Belmont on Thursday and didn't end until Sunday late afternoon. And it was another solid weekend of racing selections for me, YAY! I had handicapped both the Thursday card and Friday card at Belmont by the end of the day on Wednesday because on this first day, I was driving across the state for an Oasis High School Football senior football player & coaches cookout hosted by our oldest son Jeff (my boss last fall!) and his wife Antoinette. It was such a great afternoon and evening because when I last saw all these people it was a regular Tuesday practice. I left for home to get my eye injection and told them I'd see them Thursday at practice. But on that Wednesday the whole thing came to a close with quarantines due to the pandemic virus. After everyone had left I opened up the replays and watched how my five selections had run. In the second it was a MSW on the turf going six furlongs. There was a Chad Brown runner, a Euro import, and Irad Ortiz was on board....HELLO! How do you not bet those. Well apparently the crowd had a "better idea," because somehow the Peter Brant filly - who wasn't even MENTIONED in the DRF analysis written by Mike Beer - went off at a huge 6/1 price and paid $14.00, YOWZA - what a start to the big four days of racing.

In Race 3 I ran third as the 6/5 favorite; in the fifth it was a MSW sprint. I went to open the video and I got an error message that said, "this video is not available." Oh, maybe not on the race replays but I know how to get it, and I went to another site. Nope. Frustrated, I just checked the results....my $15 bet on After the Party had been a winner at nearly $7 and I cashed for over $50. I finally found a replay and After the Party went right to the front, but turning for home she was easily passed and was weakening. Wait....I'm sure it said I won. Just then the filly who'd taken over the lead took a bad step and tossed jockey Irad Ortiz. Unfortunately his fall caused him to miss the rest of the weekend (and another two weeks of mounts). But because of the incident, After the Party found herself all alone on the lead and long gone. Sometimes, you just have to take what you're given!

There were three stakes on the afternoon and the only on that I cashed on was the 139th running of the Astoria Stakes for 2yo fillies. It was hard to have a lot of confidence in any of these juveniles who only have a maiden win. On paper, the lone big number belonged to 4-Happy Soul who was a prohibitive favorite who should win by a dozen lengths. Right to the front and ran away by multiple, and open lengths as much, MUCH the best. Wasn't really willing to risk more than the minimum, but I'll take the win to add to the totals.

Friday June 4
Today I not only had racing at Belmont but today kicked off the Monmouth week with a six-race card that kicked off at 6 pm. There was more rain in the northeast so I made selections for today for both on and off the turf. The opener at Belmont was a second level allowance going a mile on the turf, but it was washed off to a one-turn mile on the main. Aunt Kat had drilled sprinters in her last two starts and looked to be long, LONG gone on the main track. Right to the front under confident handling - even when confronted by not one but two others on the turn - and drew off easily.

My next bet came in the fourth where Todd Pletcher sent out Shadwell Stables Mahaamel for his second try at breaking his maiden. He had debuted at this same 7f trip and had gone right to the front. But he faced pace pressure all the way and ed ventually in the stretch gave way. But the $700K Keeneland Sales grad held on as a best-of-the-rest second and the colt that beat him came right back to win with a huge 95 Beyer figure. Uh oh. How in the world the crowd let Mahaamel leave the gate at 4/5 odds is just beyond me. I'd made him my BEST of the Day and he drew off like the talented runner he appears to be. Cashed for nearly $60!

Two passed races led us to the Grade 2 True North going six and a half furlongs. Multiple graded stakes winner Firenze Fire looked to be the favorite and deservedly so. But when you noted that in nine previous tries at Belmont he'd won SIX of them including his last three tries here. He and the second choice, Flagstaff - who'd won the Grade 1 Churchill Downs last time out as my top choice that day - dueled to the top of the lane and then Firenze Fire edged clear. I'd tripled the bet and cashed for over $30 to go 3-for-3 on the day in New York. Missed on the last two before winning the opener at Monmouth on their abbreviated card. Finished the day 4-for-8 overall with a solid profit. WHOOO HOOOO.

Saturday June 5: Belmont Stakes Day
The analysts in New York kept referring to today as a mid-season Breeders' Cup and truly with nine graded stakes, EIGHT of them Grade 1 events, that was certainly the case. I also had picks at Monmouth, Churchill, and then this evening at Evangeline Downs where it was Louisiana Legends Night under the lights. The second at Belmont was a MSW for 2yo and my top pick scratched. That left Todd Pletcher's son of Practical Joke, Wit (get it? LOL) as the odds-on favorite. I debated playing or not on the short price with a horse who had NOT been my top choice. But decided to go in. The gates opened and he was left behind. Guess that was a bad idea Mr. Mark! Then he began to gather momentum, caught the field and began picking off horses while four and five wide on the turn. He accelerated to the leader by mid-stretch and drew off as tons the best. WOW, impressive! And I had my first winner of the afternoon.

Missed on six picks before getting the first of the Grade 1 races, the Acorn for 3yo fillies. I'd won the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks with Pletcher's star filly, Malathaat. But that one had dueled to the wire with Chad Brown's Search Results who just lost in suffering her first defeat. Search Results was running today, but not Malathaat. I made her the co-BEST of the Day. Tracked the leaders through the turn, moved three wide to the leader and went on by. Then she had to hold off the late charge of Obligatory who'd scored at a HUGE 16/1 for me in the Grade 2 Eight Belles on Derby weekend. Cashed for almost $50 on my second win of the day.

After another miss I scored my first winner at Monmouth when Elusive Ryder was easily best on the Jersey Shore in their 6th at 7/5. It was another two hours before I cashed another ticket, but it was a nice won. Traffic Song went to the front in one of the first turf races of the summer at Monmouth and just, JUST held on to win. I'd tripled the bet on the Paco Lopez-ridden filly and she paid a generous $6.80 so I collected over $50. Another near-two hours before it was post time for the Belmont Stakes. Several people had asked who I liked and I told everyone the same thing. I thought you could toss the three longshots; the other four....on their best day, any of them could win. But for me, I truly still believed that the 2yo champion, Essential Quality was the best 3yo in the country and SHOULD have won the Kentucky Derby. The two pace setters went out and dueled through a wicked :22 and change opening quarter....going a mile and a half? Are they serious? Later found out that in the previous 153 years that the Belmont had been run, that was the fastest opening quarter - EVER - to be run. But one of the two colts, Hot Rod Charlie was still in front turning for home when Essential Quality came to him. But Charlie would not give in until inside the final furlong the champ edged by. WHOOOO HOOOOO. He was a prime time play for me and had been 2/1 as they approached the gate - 9/5 into the gate - but only 6/5 when the betting closed. The late money cost me nearly $20, but that's ok....I had the Belmont winner :)

I won the first two bets I had at Evangeline but then that was that. Not the best Saturday I've ever had, but I won the two BIG bets, won the Belmont, and had seven winners over all while still enjoying a very good week.

Sunday June 6
The last day of the big weekend and I had seven bets on the Jersey Shore. Gave way after being loose on the lead with my first two bets. In the third I'd written I'd considered the Chad Brown also eligible if he scratched in and he did. Went back and forth but in the end decided, NO. Finished off the board :) In the fourth my top choice scratched so I again had to decide. I'd written, "....the obvious one to fear in here is Luann and should the top one falter she'll be the one who will win...." She was taking the money so I went in on her with a double investment. Pressed the leader to the far turn then took off as a decisive winner.

Missed with Paco on the turf and then my "best" came in the sixth, a maiden claiming foute. Our West Indy had two recent numbers that beat all forty-one combined speed figures of his rivals. Uh oh. Right to the front and was long gone, drawing off handily while under wraps through the final sixteenth.

Missed once more before it was time for the featured Lady's Secret. The first three starts for Chad Brown's filly, Altaf were not anything special on the Beyer scale. But that last out 91 leaped off the page. That the morning line maker installed her as the 6/5 program favorite carried some weight with me. She tracked the pace to the turn, glided to the front without being asked and galloped away in an impressive show of raw talent. Graded stakes will be next on her schedule!

For the week I scored at a nearly 40% clip and had a big profit once you counted in the "money back" I received from the Xpressbet promotion for giving you back up to $10 if you bet a Belmont horse to win on Friday or Saturday and they ran 2nd or 3rd. Below the video are a few pics from the week - photos of my sister, niece, and daughter Julie from their visit; the seniors from Oasis; hottie Coach Kelly and our message exchange; and the always attractive Acacia Courtney who showed off a stylish hat for Belmont Day and reacted to my message :)