Belmont Park | Race 6 | Post Time 4:14 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up now
Midnitesalright (#5) can certainly win here, but she’s going to be the favorite after already having had a few chances. Horses that are as precocious as her usually don’t continue progressing into the fall of their juvenile seasons, so I think it's unwise to lean on her in this spot.
Turf is the name of the game when it comes to Saturday’s stakes events with all of the day’s biggest races scheduled on the green.
Woodbine has the marquee event of the day with the Grade 1, $800,000 Canadian International, supported by three other graded stakes, most notably the Grade 1, $500,000 E. P. Taylor. Here in the States, the big race is the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. Belmont, meanwhile, has a turf stakes doubleheader – the $200,000 Pebbles and the $100,000 Floral Park.
Grade 1, $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity; 1 1/16 miles; Keeneland; Oct. 6, 2018
(10 Derby qualifying points for a win, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)
Winner: Knicks Go, by Paynter
Trainer: Ben Colebrook
Jockey: Albin Jimenez
Owner: KRA Stud Farm
Beyer Speed Figure: 81
PROUD AS PUNCH
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Last race: Oct 5, 5th
Finish: 3rd by 3 1/2
Beyer: 64
Making his second start and first at a route he lost a few lengths with a tardy break but recovered to run competitively vs. straight maidens on turf. He advanced under urging to get in a stalking position into the first turn, and turned in a bit of a green performance while hung four wide.
MAGICAL GRAY
Trainer: Victor Garcia
Last race: Oct. 5, 2nd
Finish: 2nd by neck
Beyer: 76
This maiden filly ran super despite kamikaze fractions (21.33 and 43.31) in this downhill sprint. Set blistering pace, shook off her closest pursuers, collared. Long gone next time.
CIMPL MAN
Trainer: Vladimir Cerin
Last race: Oct. 5, 5th
Finish: 1st by 3/4
Beyer: 86
Belmont Park | Race 9 | Post Time 5:32 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up now
Race 2: Style and Grace (#2)
The way she ran in her first two dirt starts suggests she should appreciate added ground.
Is bred to handle turf as a daughter of Flagrant, who has produced five turf winners including Breeders’ Cup winner Furthest Land.
Drew an advantageous inside post position over a course that has been favoring horses on the rail.
4-1 on ML
---
A little caveman-ticket late-pick-four action to close the Sunday card at Belmont. First, three stakes, then a seven-furlong 2-year-old allowance race to close the sequence. I’m for FOURSTAR CROOK (#7) in the Flower Bowl, race 8, and against COVFEFE (#6) in the Frizette, race 7.
Race 6
6, 10, 11
Seeing the potential for regression from the favorites, Eskimo Kisses and Blue Prize, in today's Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland, I am intrigued by 8-1 shot Champagne Problems. My view is that she warrants win and gimmicks play in addition to being used in the late pick three.
What follows is a short analysis of that closing sequence and a small pick-three play focused on Champagne Problems.
Race 8, Bourbon
