Horse racing odds: Introduction to Saratoga, best bets for Belmont Park

By Andy Serling
FOX Sports activities Horse Racing Analyst

With the Triple Crown races in the rearview mirror, bettors are gearing up for the next 50 percent of the time which formally kicked off very last weekend. 

Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal is out for the rest of the 12 months with minimal concerns, but trainer Todd Pletcher however has an ace up his sleeve. 

Pletcher served see that he’ll nevertheless be a variable in the significant 3-yr-outdated races. We observed this firsthand when his horse Demand It received the Dwyer Stakes by 23 lengths. Can Demand It be a component at Saratoga, as well?

Let’s jump into what is on the horizon on the racing entrance.

The Saratoga race satisfy — kicking off on July 14 and running by way of Labor Day — is the premier 40-day party in the region. The races catch the attention of an normal attendance of more than 25,000 day by day spectators and working the observe are some of the very best horses in training. Highlights of these amazing eight months include things like the Travers Stakes, the Jim Dandy and the Whitney Stakes. Simple and straightforward, this is horse racing at its very best. And if you can not make it to upstate NY, check out Saratoga Live on FOX Athletics each racing day to follow in on the action. 

At Saratoga, we can count on to see Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, Preakness winner Early Voting, Derby and Preakness runner-up Epicenter, Derby 3rd-put finisher Zandon, Jack Christopher and, of system, Charge It. Early Voting, Zandon and Jack Christopher are trained by Chad Brown, and Brown is a heavy most loved to be primary coach soon after his history-environment Belmont Park meet up with. 

So even though no other competitiveness matches the pomp and circumstance of the Kentucky Derby, a race showcasing all individuals horses is truly worth waiting for. So mark your calendars.

On Aug. 6, the Whitney Stakes will possible aspect a matchup of Existence is Great and Olympiad, currently two of the best older horses in the region. 

Irad Ortiz, even so, hopes to regain the riding title above previous year’s winner, Luis Saez. Overall, Saratoga options some of the most effective riders in the world, so fans are in for a deal with irrespective of which rider arrives out on best.

Admittedly, though we’re all anticipating either heading upstate or at minimum viewing the races, I should not bounce the gun. There is nevertheless one extra weekend of racing at Belmont Park right before Saratoga. 

Saturday will function the very first legs of our Turf Triple races. There is a person race for colts, one particular for fillies and all races are operate on the grass. Each races, for purses of $1 million and $700,000, respectively, will be operate at 1 ¼ miles and will aspect major horses from the United States and Europe. When we talk about races, we obtained to make some picks suitable? So, let’s check out to make some funds before heading to Saratoga.

The Belmont Derby, for the boys, is led by Stone Age and Nations Pleasure. Both have raced exclusively in Europe and are educated by two of the major trainers in the globe, Aiden O’Brien and Charles Appleby respectively. The horses are ridden by planet-course riders Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori. 

Whilst they seem to be the favorites, I will consider to beat them with one more European, the significantly less highly regarded Royal Patronage, who will be ridden by winner American rider Joel Rosario. I will bet on him to win, and box exactas with Stone Age, Nations Pleasure and U.S.-based mostly runner Tiz the Bomb — unraced considering the fact that ending ninth in the Kentucky Derby and grass is his desired area.

BELMONT DERBY PICKS

#8 Royal Patronage to acquire

Exacta boxes 8-9, 8-10 and 8-13

In the filly counterpart, the Belmont Oaks, European runner Concert Corridor, skilled by O’Brien — who gained two of the previous 4 runnings of this race — and ridden by Ryan Moore, is the horse to conquer.

Nevertheless, I like With The Moonlight, which is qualified by Appleby and ridden by Dettori, to get. I believe that the American runners have a much better chance in this race than in the Belmont Derby, and choose McKulick, just one of a few runners in the race qualified by Brown (who has won the race 5 moments). Four-time winner rider Irad Ortiz has the mount, which is often a as well as.

I will wager With The Moonlight to acquire and box her in exactas with Live performance Corridor and McKulick.

BELMONT OAKS PICKS

#4 With The Moonlight to get

Exacta boxes 4-10 and 4-1

Like numerous horseplayers and racing enthusiasts, I’m counting the minutes until finally Saratoga opens upcoming week. That will not end me from attacking the Belmont races this coming weekend. Leap aboard and enjoy the trip!

Andy Serling is the Senior Racing Analyst for the New York Racing Affiliation (NYRA) and appears often on America’s Day at the Races/Saratoga Dwell on FOX Sporting activities. He also analyzes the races every day on Speaking Horses on the NYRA simulcast network between other duties masking Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct. In his a bit much more respectable times, he traded selections on the now-defunct American Inventory Exchange. Comply with him on Twitter @andyserling.

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