Plenty of graded stakes action across the country for the upcoming 4th of July weekend.
Brass Hat, Court Vision, and Presious Passion headline the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth. The turf marathon is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, along with the Salvator Mile. Smooth Air is the one to beat in the latter race.
A competitive group is being assembled for the Grade 1 Suburban at Belmont Park. Recent overseas transplant Asiatic Boy is the marquee name.

On Sunday at Big Sandy, talented three-year-old sprinter Munnings faces quality older foes including Fabulous …read more

Sunday’s Grade 2 Jerome Handicap from Belmont Park features a small but select field of seven, including the Nick Zito entry of Da’ Tara and Cool Coal Man, but Todd Pletcher may have the one to beat with 2-1 favorite Harlem Rocker.
The Stronach Stables colt won the first three starts of his career, all around one-turn, including a razor sharp Withers (G3) tally at this distance with a 106 BSF.
The Ontario-bred was immediately prepared for the Queen’s Plate, but he failed to handle synthetic ground in his Woodbine prep, so those plans were scrapped. He ended up winning …read more

Belmont Park had to cancel racing on Friday due to an abundance of rain, so Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup prep races will be run on a wet track and soft turf.
Grade 1 Beldame – Nine furlongs
Lemon Drop Mom has improved significantly in her last four outings, and she owns strong wet track breeding. She owns fine early/pressing speed and appears poised for a graded breakthrough.
Ginger Punch has won four straight and won last year’s BC Distaff in the slop. She was only a nose in front of Lemon Drop Mom last time, and I have added a replay of …read more

A field of 9 has been drawn for Saturday’s Grade 1 $750k Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, but the big story could be the weather. With a 90-100% chance of rain predicted from late Thursday through Saturday, a sloppy track at the Elmont, New York oval seems a near certainty.
Curlin has not tasted defeat on the main track since a show finish in the 2007 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. He has won six main track races since, including 5 grade one races, with his lone defeat this year a place finish in the grassy Man O’War …read more

The Grade 2 First Flight Handicap (race 7) on July 4th at Belmont Park has drawn a field of seven, with the Richard Dutrow entry of Ice Cool Kitty and Looky Yonder favored at 2-1.
NY-bred Ice Cool Kitty is a 9-16 pro with a trio of local wins and a pair of extended sprint tallies. She has not been out since November ‘07 and it likely using this race as a springboard to state bred stakes races down the road. Her mate Looky Yonder has won her last three conventional dirt starts and is 2-2 at Big Sandy. She’s …read more

Belmont Park race recap (Wednesday, June 11, 2008)
Race 1: Buy A Personality last to first in the compact opener. Always respect sharp conditioner Bruce Levine.
Race 2: Kent D/Mott struck in a big way with overpriced ($270k) purchase Wolfson in this maiden claimer for NY-breds. How could 0-12 Another Hades go off favored over the former? Chalk up another underneath finish for the latter.
Race 3: Drama Lady upset heavy fav and classy comebacker Winning Point. It was a respectable showing from the McLaughlin trained runner-up, but I thought she was cruise through this level and return to the stakes ranks…not …read more

Below is my Wednesday analysis from Belmont Park, complete with betting strategies. There is a $1,186,625 carryover from Belmont Stakes day, thanks in large part to Da’ Tara.
Belmont Park analysis (Wednesday, June 11, 2008)
by Jarrod Horak (racingonthenet.com, thoroughbredfever.com)
BEL 1 (Str-Alw, 3up, 8f) Number 5 Buy A Personality (9-2) has earned improved figs in all four exacta finishes. Levine is 28% 3rd race back and 34% with beaten favs. Number 4 Value Player (3-1) is back quickly for Dutrow, and Prado is 23% with this outfit. Consistent check earner will be finishing. The Plays: Number 5 to win, Exacta box …read more

Below is my Friday analysis from Belmont Park, complete with betting strategies.

Belmont Park analysis (Friday, June 6, 2008)
by Jarrod Horak (racingonthenet.com, thoroughbredfever.com)
BEL 1 (Clm-15k/2L, 3up, 8f) Let’s shop for a price in the ugly opener. Number 2 Town Doc (8-1) showed some signs of life in his latest, and the place finisher returned to score. Barn is quite competent with this type of distance switcher. The Plays: small win/place bet on Town Doc
BEL 2 (MSW, NY-bred f&m 3up, 6f) Number 1 Seasons Wise (9-2) chased an above par pace and threw in the towel off a layoff in her 2nd …read more

Nick Zito’s Commentator is the 6-5 morning line choice in Monday’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park. He exits a pair of facile wire jobs at Gulfstream, and he is 4-6 at Big Sandy and 3-3 at a flat mile. Those are impressive stats indeed, but the enigmatic sort has tossed in a low odds clunker on more than one occasion, and I will seek a bit of value with the improving Divine Park.
The son of Chester House began his career last year with three straight triumphs, then finished up the track in the Grade 1 Malibu following …read more