Watchmaker: Europeans can't be tossed in Belmont Gold Cup-Belmont Stakes double

Right at the top, I must say I am not a fan of overnight wagers like the Belmont Gold Cup-Belmont Stakes double.

Unless you’re so wealthy that the money you’re betting doesn’t matter, I don’t understand why anyone would tie up their betting capital overnight when there are so many other wagering options that do not take your money out of action for such a long period of time. For that reason, I do not play wagers like this.

But I understand there are folks who do like these wagers. So, for them, this is what I would do in this bet if someone pointed a bazooka at my head and threatened to fire it if I didn’t make a play.

Let’s quickly address the second leg of this bet, Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, which will be run approximately 25 hours after the Belmont Gold Cup. I like Irish War Cry for the reasons noted in by pre-Belmont Stakes column, which can be found here.

I would stand alone with Irish War Cry (7), because if he runs back to his romps in the Wood Memorial or Holy Bull, it would be too much for the rest of this field to handle. I know that’s a big “if.” Irish War Cry was terrible in the Kentucky Derby last time out and in the Fountain of Youth three starts back. But I’m expecting him to be on his game Saturday.

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As for Friday’s Belmont Gold Cup, while I can certainly see Taghleeb winning – he won the Allen Jerkens going this two-mile distance on turf at Gulfstream on New Year’s Eve – for me the race is really all about the European shippers. Six of the 13 entered are Euro invaders, and rather than split the wood amongst them, I’ll use them all, and then press three of them.

My presses in the Belmont Gold Cup are Now We Can (3), Wall of Fire (4), and Wicklow Brave (12). Now We Can finished second in this race last year against an arguably tougher field and a fourth in a French Group 3 last time has him primed for a peak effort. Wall of Fire is a relatively young 4-year-old seemingly coming into his own, and I think any one of his three races this year make him a win threat. And Wicklow Brave won the Irish St. Leger last September and has done well in the past off the hurdle-to-flat switch he’s making Friday.

Here’s the play, with presses in the first leg on the 3, 4, and 12:

3,4,5,10,12,13 with 7.