Sustainability (#8, ML 5-2) makes his return in Wednesday’s seventh race at Gulfstream Park, a 1 1/16-mile maiden claimer on turf. It will be his first start since a fourth-place finish by two lengths in a one-mile maiden race on turf April 22 at Gulfstream Park. The third- and sixth-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts.
Dave Litfin's horses to watch at Belmont Park for the week of May 12.
Gierkink's Woodbine Horses to Watch for the week of May 11
Brad Free's Southern California horses to watch from week of May 9, 2015.
Mike Hammersy's trip Notes for stakes races from May 9-10, including the Man o' War, Peter Pan, and Vanity.
ST. JOE BAY (#3, ML 8-1) cuts back to one turn after regressing for first time in career last out while on Triple Crown trail; improved effort expected.
Palace (#3, ML 3-1) takes on a talented field in Sunday’s eighth race at Belmont Park, the six-furlong Diablo Stakes. Since Jan. 1, 2014, trainer Linda Rice is winning at a 30 percent clip in stakes races, for a return on investment of $2.07.
While there are some good races on the main track, notably Palace against Palace Malice in the Diablo Stakes, the grass races on Sunday’s card at Belmont are what I’m most interested in for wagering purposes.
They ran four graded stakes races Saturday at Belmont Park, and yet the first topic brought up by the few folks I spent the day there with was American Pharoah and whether he could do it again in the Preakness and come to the Belmont Stakes with a shot of sweeping the Triple Crown. It says something about American Pharoah that he has captured the imagination of even hardened horseplayers.
Swept Up (#3, ML 9-2) returns in Sunday's third race at Churchill Downs, a six-furlong allowance. It will be her first start since a fourth-place finish by a half length in an optional claimer March 22 at Oaklawn Park. The third- and fifth-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts.
