It is the final weekend of betting action from Belmont Park, Colonial Downs and Hollywood Park and all three tracks are going out with a bang.
The final graded stake at the spring/summer Belmont Park meeting is Saturday’s $600,000 Man o’ War (G1), which drew a field of eight turf runners that will go 1 3/8 miles.
The Shug McGaughey trainee Boisterous is the 9-5 morning line favorite. The six-year-old has won 10 of his 20 career starts on turf and will be seeking his first Grace 1 victory.
His main foe will be the D. Wayne Lukas trained Optimizer (2-1), who is coming off a solid runner up finish behind Point of Entry in the Manhattan (G1) at Belmont Park over yielding footing on June 8.
Hollywood Park has four stakes carded for Saturday including the $350,000 American Oaks (G1) for three-year-old fillies.
The supporting features on an outstanding wagering card are the $200,000 A Gleam Handicap (G2) for older fillies and mares at seven furlongs and a pair of six furlong races for two-year-olds, the $150,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship (G3) and the $150,000 Landaluce for fillies.
The American Oaks drew a competitive field of eight including the Bill Mott trained Emollient, who will be making her turf debut. She makes her first start since she stumbled coming out of the gate in the Black Eyed Susan (G3) at Pimlico on the main track where she checked in sixth. Two back she won the Ashland (G1) over polytrack at Keeneland.
The closing night at Colonial Downs features the biggest race of the year in the state, the $500,000 Virginia Derby (G2) which drew a field of 10 for this year’s running, one of five stakes on the 12-race card.
The Gary Contessa trained Rydilluc is the 9-5 morning line favorite. The colt is perfect in his four starts on turf, winning the Penn Mile at Penn National in his last outing on June 1.
Charming Kitten (7-2) was the runner up in the Penn Mile and is back to try to turn the tables for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the race twice (Red Giant in 2007 and English Channel in 2005).
Pletcher will also saddle Jack Milton (4-1) who was third in the Penn Mile, beaten a nose for second by his stablemate and three-quarters of a length by the winner. The colt won the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland in his previous start in his stakes debut.
The sire Kitten’s Joy won the race in 2004 and will be well represented in this year’s running as three of his sons will be in action, Charming Kitten, Redwood Kitten (10-1) and Fear the Kitten (15-1).
The Ken McPeek trained Praia is the 9-5 morning line favorite for the Virginia Oaks, which drew a field of 11 three-year-old fillies. The Daughter of Distorted Humor is coming off runner up finishes in the Edgewood and Regret (G3).
The Colonial Downs card gets underway at 5:00 ET, with post time for the Virginia Derby at 8:12 ET.
Michael Dempsey’s Saratoga Special $129.95
Michael’s Saratoga Report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations. Mike has been handicapping the New York Racing circuit on a daily basis for nearly three decades.
Get the entire 40-day Saratoga meeting (July 19 to Sept. 2) as well as the remainder of the Belmont Park meeting for one low price! Just $129.95 for the rest of the Belmont Park meeting and the entire Spa meeting!