Category Archives: Belmont stakes betting

Online Racebook: Awesome Gem Seeks Repeat Victory in Hollywood Gold Cup

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At Hollywood Park, the 8 year old AWESOME GEM, will be facing seven rivals seeking his repeat victory in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup.

Last year, at the youthful age of 7, Awesome Gem rallied up the rail to narrowly defeat heavily favored RAIL TRIP for the most important victory of his six year racing career.

This year, Awesome Gem will have to deal with TWIRLING CANDY, who has the inside post in the prestigious 1-1/4 mile contest.

Twirling Candy is no cinch, however. Fact is, he can be his own worst enemy, as witnessed by the way he was rank and hard to control in his latest victory in the Grade-2 California Stakes on June 4. That was reminiscent of the way Twirling Candy was all over the track in the 2010 Del Mar Derby, which he won  and the Goodwood stakes which he lost.

Awesome Gem and Twirling Candy also will be meeting strong competition in this traditional race that has been the centerpiece of the Hollywood Spring-Summer meet for 72 years.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, well on his way to clinching the Hollywood training title, has two live ‘dudes’ in the field—FIRST DUDE  and GAME ON DUDE.

Earlier this year,  Game on Dude won the Grade-1 Santa Anita Handicap at the 10 furlong Gold Cup distance. Right now, he seems the one horse among the eight entered who has the early zip to control the pace.

First Dude, nicely developed last year by Dale Romans, comes to this contest in the best form of his 10 race career, having won an allowance race at Santa Anita in April and the Grade-3 Alysheba stakes at Churchill Downs on May 6. In the Alysheba, First Dude only won by a narrow margin, but  made a positive visual impression with his desperate late surge that stole victory from front running REGAL RANSOM, a tough customer on his best day.

SETSUKO beaten an inch by Game on Dude in the SA Handicap, also was a respectable third to Twirling Candy in the Californian, so he surely merits respect in this event. Ditto for SOUL CANDY, a close fourth in both the SA Big Cap and Californian, respectively.

The other two in the lineup are stepping out of their comfort zone:

The 6 year old Argentina bred  MISS MATCH was third to the classy champion filly BLIND LUCK in the Grade-1 Vanity over this track on June 18 and also earned a Grade 1 stakes victory over her own sex at Santa Anita in March. Yet, before we discount her chances in her first outing against male rivals, we should note that Miss Match is only one of two horses in this field (Game on Dude is the other), with a win at the 1-1/4 mile Gold Cup distance.

Meanwhile, the 4 year old DARK COVE never has won a stakes of any kind and also will be making his first attempt at 10 furlongs.

With all of these considerations, in play, this is Twirling Candy’s best opportunity to prove that he is, as some pundits say, the best older horse in the country. But, those considering him for a play should also know that  the odds at post time will not likely make any of his supporters rich.

At Belmont Park on the same Saturday afternoon, the weather must cooperate if we are going to see another veteran stakes winner trying for a repeat victory in an important stakes race.

In this instance, the 6 year old GIO PONTI, America’s reigning double Eclipse Award winning turf champion only will be sent to the post if the Belmont turf course is not soggy from recent rains. Should the course pass the test, trainer Christophe Clement will give Gio Ponti the chance to capture his third consecutive win in the Grade-1, $600,000 Man o’ War Stakes at the testing 1-3/8 miles distance.

If kept on the sidelines, another veteran stakes winner, the  7 year old MISSION APPROVED will go for his second consecutive Grade-1 victory.

Last month, on the Belmont Stakes Day racing card, Mission Approved set all the fractions en route to a 21-1 triumph over the useful BIM BAM and Gio Ponti in the 10 furlong Manhattan Handicap. That win amazed most observers who discounted the former claiming horse because he was making his first start since losing a close decision to Gio Ponti in the Man o’ War last summer.

Beyond Gio Ponti and Mission Approved, the upset threats in the Man o’ War include the vastly improved BEARPATH, a sharp second at 1-1/2 miles in the G-3 Louisville Handicap at Churchill on May 28; the Billy Mott trained AL KAHALI , who has threatened to win a Grade-1 on numerous occasions and is particularly fond of Belmont; BOISTROUS, a soft course specialist, who defeated weaker with good Beyer Speed Figures in his last two at Keeneland and Belmont; the Patrick Biancone trained NOWNOWNOW, winner of the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, who has been nibbling at purses in Graded stakes in the last few years; plus the Aidan O’Brien trained European import, CAPE BLANCO, winner of two important Group 1’s in 2010—the Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes.

That adds up to an imposing, closely matched lineup and only one thing is certain: You will not get 21-1 on Mission Approved this time, even though there is no other horse in the field, including Gio Ponti, who can prevent him from controlling the pace as far as he wants to go. Bet on your favorite tracks and horses now at Bodog’s 24/7 online Racebook!

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Horse Racing Betting: July 4th Weekend Graded Stakes Horse Racing Results

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At Belmont Park, Saturday, Sunday and Monday:

7/2      Suburban (Hdcp.)/II/300,000/3&up/1 1/8 mi: The winner was FLAT OUT, who never had won a Graded Stakes scored over HYMN BPOOK, who only recently earned his first stakes win.  While both horses have mutual licenses to improve, their 1-2 finish also showed how weak the race really was.

7/2      Dwyer/II/150,000/3 yr /1 1/16 mi: The top three contenders on paper- DOMINUS, ADIOS CHARLIE, and COOL BLUE RED HOT finished 1-2-3 in a relatively fast 1-1/16 mile contest in which Dominus went wire to wire while Adios Charlie stalked him every step of the way.

7/3     Bed o’ Roses (Hcp)III/150,000/3&up (f)/7 Furlongs: Big payoffs here as the top three finishers were all 15-1 and higher, while the 3-10 betting favorite HILDA’S PASSION was unable to stay, finishing a badly beaten sixth. The winner— TAMARIND HALL— is a 4 year old filly trained by Jeremiah Englehart, a Finger Lakes ‘Ace’. She is a remarkable story: Not only was this Tamarind’ s first stakes win and a Graded win at that, but in March she could have been claimed for $25,000. Obviously, no one should expect to see her in claiming races again, having won this stakes by six lengths.

7/3      Matron/II/150,000/2 yr (f)/6 Furlongs: MILLIONREASONSWHY, a four length winner over weak rivals at Colonial Downs June 11, made this field look equally weak scoring by two lengths in faster time than the male juveniles needed in the Futurity! There was some bumping and shoving here, so I would recommend reviewing this contest carefully on video replay. . . BE BULLISH, the filly I liked to win this race was a late scratch.

7/3      Futurity/II /150,000/2 yr/6 Furlongs: JACK’S IN THE DECK, second in his career debut at Delaware Park May 29, won this slowly clocked race at 14-1by four lengths over TEAM SIX. TARPY’S GOAL, overbet at 4-5 odds, could only finish third. The winner should be bet against when pitched against good 2 year olds during the summer. Aside from the slow clocking, he is bred strictly for sprints.

7/4      Prioress/I/250,000/3 yr (f)/6 Furlongs: HER SMILE, overcame serious traffic problems in the upper stretch to overpower this group at 7-1 odds, a generous price for those who trusted in Todd Pletcher’s proven ability to win important stakes on this circuit. POMEROY’S PISTOL, a most consistent Grade-2 stakes winner in Florida this winter and winner of her most recent outing at Churchill Downs, was a credible second; while the Bob Baffert trained ALIENATION made a move to the lead at the top of the stretch but could not sustain it, finishing third. The time for the 6 furlongs was a very good 1:09.44.

At Monmouth Park on Saturday:

7/2      United Nations Handicap/$750,000/3yr & up 1-3/8 mi, turf: TEAKS NORTH, winner of the Monmouth Stakes, a Grade-3 prep for this traditional classic on June 12,  outgamed last year’s UN winner, CHINCHON by 1/2  lengths at 7-1 odds in a very good race for both. STACELITA, in from France for this with strong European form, rallied well on the final turn to bid for the lead in the upper stretch but was out-finished by the top two. BOURBON BAY, in from California, ran fairly well, but was only fourth best, 2-1/4 lengths behind the winner with no apparent excuse.

At Hollywood Park on Saturday and Monday:

7/2      Shoemaker Mile/ I /$300,000/3 & up/1-mile (Turf): Favored COURAGEOUS CAT, second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last fall to the unofficial  World Champ GOLDIKOVA, narrowly won this race over CARACORTADO in a dynamite race for both. VICTOR’S CRY found his best stride way too late and was third, beaten five lengths by the top two.

7/2      Triple Bend H’dicap I/$250,000/3 &up/7 Furlongs: SMILING TIGER, fresh and fit, was a dominant 3-1/2 length winner at 17-10 odds over 9-1 shot CAMP VICTORY in this high class sprint. AMAZOMBIE, the 3-2 betting favorite, was no real win threat, finishing third, 5-1/2 lengths behind Smiling Tiger.

7/4      Royal Heroine Mile/II /$150,000/3 & up (f)/One Mile (Turf): In a solid performance, 17-10 betting favorite CELTIC PRINCESS overcame an awkward start to defeat multiple Grade-1 winner HARMONIOUS by a comfortable 2-1/4 lengths. In the battle for third, ANDINA narrowly edged front running GIVINE.

At  Churchill Downs on Saturday and Monday:

7/2      Bashford Manor /III/$100,000/2 yr /6 Furlongs: EXFACTOR and POWER WORLD came from deep in the pack to finish 1-2, with the former much the best. Front running FRISCAN gave way in mid stretch but narrowly held SUM OF THE PARTS safe for third. The winner is bred to handle sprints and races up to one mile; the second place finisher is bred to handle any distance, any track condition; while Sum of the Parts is bred strictly for sprints.

7/4      Firecracker H’Cap/II/$175,000/3 & up/One mile (Turf): In his first grass race, 14-1 shot WISE DAN acted as if he could develop into one of the top turf milers in America, scoring by 2-3/4 lengths over highly regarded BARYSHNIKOV and STRIKE IMPACT—winner of his last two on the CD turf course.  This was Wise Dan’s fifth victory in 10 lifetime starts and his first Graded stakes score since winning the 6 furlong, Grade-3 Phoenix at Keeneland last October. At the bottom line, Wise Dan, who was sixth in the $2 million BC Sprint last fall, now has won races at 6 furlongs and one mile on fast dirt, sloppy dirt, Polytrack and turf.  Obviously, this victory gives trainer Charles Lopresti many options to consider through the summer.

Stay tuned, the summer stakes schedule has just begun. For all of your online horse betting needs visit Bodog’s 24/7 online Racebook!

Animal Kingdom Out for the Rest of the Year and Two Notable Deaths in the Horse Racing World

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It appears cannon bone fracture wasn’t the only issue with the colt as his ownership team reported another more severe injury that means no racing for the rest of the year. This year’s surprise but worthy Triple Crown aspirant was diagnosed three weeks ago with a small fracture in his rear left cannon bone and was proscribed a few weeks rest.

However it was announced today by ownership group Team Valour International that there was a further fracture higher up on the same leg which would require surgery and rehabilitation. Although there will be no more racing this year for Animal Kingdom, his owner and trainers feel he will be ready for next year’s Dubai World Cup.

Joseph Cornacchia
Long-time horse racing enthusiast and champion horse owner Joseph Cornacchia passed away this week. Cornacchia was the co-owner of several illustrious equines most notably 1991 Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold, 1994 Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin, and 1996’s Preakness winner Louis Quatorze. Cornaccia made his fortune manufacturing the games Trivial Pursuit, Balderdash, and Pictionary.

Dr. Mark J. Gerard
The passing this week of Dr. Gerard marked the close of one of the most sensational racing scandals of the last thirty years. Dr. Gerard was a well-known and highly sought after veterinarian in the New York racing scene in the 1960′s and 1970′s tending to such superstars as Secretariat and Kelso. However all of that came crashing down in 1977 when he was caught substituting a ringer in a horse race at Belmont Park.

It appears that the good doctor had imported two horses from Uruguay one of which was a dud and one of which was a former national champion. He claimed that the champion horse had died in an accident soon after arriving in the States, but in actuality entered him in a race under the name of the untalented horse at odds of 57-1.

Suspicions soon arose however as the supposedly dud horse blew away the field and made Dr. Gerard over 80,000 dollars. An investigation ensued and the doctor was fined and sentenced to a year in jail. After serving his time Dr. Gerard moved to Florida where he established a successful polo pony practice.

Bodog has paid out over 6 million dollars in winnings from its Racebook. Get in on your share of the action and place a bet today!

Notes on Horse Racing's First Weekend of the Summer

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Kentucky Oaks winner PLUM PARTY was scheduled to fly in to NY from California for the prestigious $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday. (Wikipedia Images)

But, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert cancelled the trip when the 3 yr old filly spiked a fever several days ago. Instead, Plum Pretty is tentatively scheduled to run Saturday on the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks against a small but salty field that includes BIG TIZ and ZAZU.

Big Tiz was second in her last three starts, including tow Graded stakes, while Zazu was second to Plum Pretty in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. If Plum Pretty is still feeling any effect from her brief illness, either or  both of those fillies could beat her. That is why Baffert may not let her run.

“She was fine a couple days after the fever,” Baffert said. “But I didn’t feel comfortable putting her on a plane.”

Now Baffert may be the one who is uncomfortable if Plum Pretty reproduces her 2011 stakes class form. Should she throw in a clunker, Baffert will have wished he had passed both races this weekend.

In the Mother Goose, there are only seven entered, including Graded stakes winners VICTORIA’S WILDCAT, SALTY STRIKE and JOYFUL VICTORY but every horse in the field has won at least one of their last two starts and all have competitive Beyer Speed Figures.

Splitting hairs, a good case can be made for the Larry Jones trained Joyful Victory who won the Fantasy at Oaklawn in April and was fourth to Plum Pretty in the Ky. Oaks. At the same time, lightly raced ALSERA defeated older allowance rivals in her a sprint win at Belmont on May 25— her first start of 2011. She also demonstrated an affinity for longer races when she scored at one mile on this track last September.

At Prairie Meadows in Iowa, the venerable 8 year old gelding AWESOME GEM seeks his 12th career victory and his second stakes win of the year in the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap, Saturday night.  This will be Awesome Gem’s 46th career start and he will have to at his best to pad his $2.5 million bankroll.  There are many proven stakes horses among the 11 entered in this race.

At Hollywood and Belmont the respective jockey and trainers’ races are both very tight with less than a month before Del Mar and Saratoga open.

At Belmont through Wednesday, June 22, Todd Pletcher had 17 wins from only 58 starters; Linda Rice had 16 from 73 starters. Seven other trainers had 10 or more wins.

The top two Belmont jockeys—J.J. Castellano and Ramon Dominguez were tied with 45 wins apiece. Castellano earned his total from 184 mounts, while Dominguez had ridden 201 horses through Wednesday. Among other riders still in the mix, Cornelio Velazquez had 39 wins from 184 mounts and Jose Lezcano had 31 from only 143.

In Southern California, Bob Baffert had won 24 races to hold a slim lead over Mike Mitchell, who had 23. No other trainer is close to the top two, but Northen Cal based-Art Sherman had the highest win percentage, 29 percent for his 6 wins from 21 starters.

Among the jockeys, Rafaal Bejarano had 42 wins at Hollywood through Wednesday, while Joel Rosario and Joe Talamo each won 39.

Elsewhere, particularly at Woodbine in Canada, we will get to see just how good the best 3 year old Canadian breds are in 2011.

The occasion is the  152ND running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate, a race that sometimes is called “Canada’s Kentucky Derby.”

Trainer Roger Attfield, who has won his share of stakes on both sides of the Canadian-American border, will be seeking a record ninth Queen’s Plate triumph with the fast-improving Check Your Soul. Also, Jockey Eurico Da Silva will seek an unprecedented third straight Arlington feature race wins in this prestigious 1-1/4 mile race for 3 year olds bred in Canada. Of the 17 horses entered, one of the most logical threats is BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY, and the recent local stakes winner  QUEENSPLATEKITTEN, a recent stakes winner over the Woodbine Polytrack.

The Queen’s Plate will the Canadian Triple Crown, will be run on Polytrack and be broadcast live Saturday on the Canadian Broadcast Channel from 4:30-6 p.m. The middle leg, the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, will be run on the dirt at Fort Erie July 17, and the series will conclude with the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes on the grass here Aug. 7.

“He’s ready,” Atfield said about Check Your Soul. “He came out of the [Plate Trial] great. . . “I think he’s an exciting prospect.”

Bowman’s Causeway was prepping for the Kentucky Derby when he was eased towards the finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in April. Now he is trained by Chad Brown who believes he can improve upon Check Your Soul’s fourth place finish, only three lengths behind the winner. Keep tabs on all your favorite horses by betting on horse racing in Bodog’s onlie racebook.

No Stud Fees for Ruler On Ice

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Ruler On Ice is only the second gelding to win the Belmont Stakes. (AP Images)

Ruler On Ice was a surprise winner of the Belmont Stakes coming home at 24-1. Although the Belmont is famous for having longshot winners, Ruler On Ice was on no one’s radar which made for great drama. What made the win even more exceptional is the fact that Ruler On Ice is a gelding, and only the second gelding to win the Belmont.

Rough estimates are that about 25% of male thoroughbreds are geldings. Ideally there is a great deal of money to be made from stud fees from winning race horses particularly ones that have won marquee events like the Belmont Stakes. However, very few horses reach that level and as such gelding is a legitimate option for many owners.

The only other gelding to win the Belmont Stakes was Crème Fraiche in 1985. Other famous geldings include Mine That Bird who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby and the legendary Kelso who won Horse of the Year honours five years running.

Animal Kingdom Injured
The training team of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom announced that the horse has a small crack in his cannon bone. Although Animal Kingdom was clipped out of the gate by Isn’t He Perfect, his support team and owners feared something else might have been at play during his failed Belmont attempt.

Scans of the leg were ordered which confirmed the cracked bone but happily it is neither life threatening nor career ending. The prognosis is that the bone should heal in a couple of weeks and that the horse will be ready to ride a few weeks after that. For the time being Animal Kingdom is grounded to ensure complete and optimal recovery.

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The Travers Stakes: The Next Big Thing

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The 2011 Travers Stakes will be held on August 27th and will host a number of Triple Crown contenders. (AP Images)

With the Triple Crown season at an end it might appear that most of the high points of the elite racing season are over. However as Bodog Beat racing expert Steve Davidowitz pointed out there is any number of exciting graded races ongoing. In addition, there are at least two more marquee events to come this season beginning with the Travers Stakes in August and the Breeders’ Cup in November.

The Travers Stakes is the oldest thoroughbred race in the United States having first been run in 1864. It is currently in its 142nd season having missed a number of races early in the century and during the war years. The Travers is run over 1 ¼ miles at the illustrious Saratoga racetrack in New York State, and is open to three year old colts and geldings.

To see all of the horseracing action visit Bodog’s online Racebook and get your bet in!

The race has tradition and history to rival any of the Triple Crown venues. It has often been called the “Graveyard of Champions” as many Triple Crown winners have suffered defeats on the historic track. The legendary Secretariat lost here to the amusingly named Onion after coming off of his historic Triple Crown run.

This year’s Travers stakes promises to be as compelling and as challenging as the Triple Crown season given that many of the same horses will be competing. While there have been no confirmed entrants to date, one can reasonably expect Ruler On Ice, Shackleford, and Animal Kingdom to turn up along with the likes of Nehro. With that cast, it should promise to be an exciting day of racing!

Blind Luck Captures Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park

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The 3-year-old Champion Filly of 2010— BLIND LUCK—may have struggled to regain her top form this year, but she is back on the beam after Saturday’s exciting win in the Grade-1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park. (Wikipedia Images)

Having won the La Troienne at Churchill Downs May 6 after a bad start, Blind Luck gave  a strong hint that she was ready to recapture her position atop America’s female race horses, but she needed to win the Vanity to confirm that impression.

So, all she did was go from last to first against a slow early pace to defeat SWITCH and ST TRINIANS in the Vanity, two female performers who gave 2010 Horse of the Year ZENYATTA all she could handle in two races last year.

In fact, St., Trinians was a close second to Zenyatta in this very stakes last year, the third straight year the great race mare won the Vanity. For her part, Switch was the betting favorite in this Grade-1 stakes based in part on her victory over Blind Luck in their only meeting on this track in the 2010 Hollywood Oaks.

This time, Blind Luck uncorked her patented late surge to beat Switch by 1/2 lengths in a moderate 1:50.89 for the nine furlongs that included a powerful final furlong clocked in 11.40 seconds. That closing fraction rarely is seen in a race beyond one mile for males or female Thoroughbreds.

St.Trinians, who finished fourth in the Vanity only 2-1/4 lengths behind the winner, probably was inhibited by the slow pace, an excuse Blind Luck did not need. The victory was Blind Luck’s 11th in a terrific 20 race career and newly elected Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said he might run her in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap on July 16, or wait for the $300,000 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar, Aug. 6. No matter which race he chooses, Blind Luck is back, all the way back.

A filly who is not back by any means is LIFE AT TEN, who turned in another perplexing effort in the Grade-1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Saturday.

Remember, Life At Ten is the filly who should have been scratched from the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic at Churchill Downs last fall when jockey John Velazquez thought she was not traveling 100 percent sound and said so to ESPN color commentator Jerry Bailey. Unfortunately, Velazquez did not officially report his concerns to the track vet or the Churchill stewards. Instead, he merely guided Life At Ten in last place around the track far out of contention to protect her, while unfortunately millions of dollars in wagers were lost on the highly regarded filly.

Since that race, trainer Todd Pletcher has handled Life AT Ten as if he believes she will recover her Grade-1 winning form. After all , she did win the Ogden Phipps last year. But to date, that has not occurred, although she did stalk the pace Saturday for almost a mile before she wilted to a well beaten fourth.

No tears should be shed for Pletcher, however. He’s loaded with top flight horses. For example, in the Phipps on Saturday, Pletcher’s AWESOME MARIA controlled the pace of the nine furlong stakes most of the way and won by open daylight for her fourth straight stakes victory.

Here are four more Graded stakes results from Saturday, all at Churchill Downs:

$561, 300 Stephen Foster Handicap, at 1-1/8 miles.

POOL PLAY a 36-1 shot, making his 28 –th career start and his first ever on a dirt track, rallied from far back to upset a good field of 10 rivals in this highly prized Grade-1, stakes. MISSION IMAZIBLE was second by a neck and APART was third.

$106,215 Jefferson Cup at 1-1/16 miles on turf.

BANNED, the prohibitive 1-5 odds on favorite, easily defeated three rivals in this Grade-3 stakes and is likely to point for the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs next month and/or the $400,000 Secretariat stakes at Arlington Park in late August, or the turf series for 3 year olds at Del Mar. Right now, Banned ranks among the top 3 year old turf horses in America.

$138,000 Matt Winn Stakes, at 1-1/16 miles.

SCOTUS, an 8-1 shot trained by red hot Ken McPeek and ridden by NY based Alan Garcia, won this Grade-3 stakes (in his stakes debut) by a length over INFRATTINI and JOE VANN to continue McPeek’s consecutive winning streak of Graded Stakes victories at Churchill.

$138, 135 Regret Stakes, for 3 year old fillies at 1-1/16 miles.

The Ken McPeek-trained BIZZY CAROLINE scored a decisive 2-1/4 length win over EXCITED in this Grade -3 stakes to give McPeek five straight Graded stakes wins in the month of June at Churchill Downs.

McPeek won two G-3 stakes oin June 4—the G-3 Dogwood with SALTY STRIKE and the G-3 Aristides with NOBLE’S PROMISE and he won the G-3 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap with MY BABY BABY on June 11 and on Saturday he scored two more G-3 stakes victories with SCOTUS in the Matt Winn and BIZZY CAROLINE in the Regret.

Next weekend there will more stakes action at the premier tracks in America and the following weekend will be loaded with top flight stakes through the Fourth of July Holiday. Of equal importance, we are little more than a month away from the historic Saratoga and Del Mar race meets that annually attract national attention all the way to Labor Day.

Think you have a hot tip on the ponies? Get your online horse betting in the Bodog Racebook today.

Steven Foster Handicap Among Seven Graded Stakes Horse Races

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But, as we move towards summer, the pace of high quality racing hardly seems to be slipping into a lower and slower pace.

This weekend for instance—particularly on Saturday—we will see seven Graded stakes at four tracks, including  four at Churchill Downs, most notably the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap.

The Foster, which has become the annual late spring anchor to the Churchill Downs’ spring meet, has attracted a very good 11 horse field of hard hitting performers. Among them are the 122 pound highweight GIANT OAK; the second highweight CROWN OF THORNS at 121 pounds and a trio assigned 118: MISSION IMPAZIBLE, DUKE OF MISCHIEF and APART. All six of the above named horses have won Graded stakes this year and the rest of the field weighted at 113 to 117 pounds respectively and have run well in high class company throughout their careers.

Frankly, this edition of the nine furlong Foster seems to be the strongest and deepest race or older horses at any distance beyond one mile at any track in America this year.

The race will be supported by a trio of Graded stakes—the Grade-3, $100,000 Jefferson Cup for 3 year olds at 1-1/16 miles on the turf, (weather permitting); the $125,000 Matt Winn for 3 year olds at 1-1/16 miles on the main track, and the Grade 3, $125,000 Regret Stakes for 3 year old fillies at 1-1/8 miles on the grass, again pending the weather in Louisville on Saturday.

BANNED, winner of the Grade-2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill May 6,  is the probable Jefferson Cup favorite as the only Graded stakes winner in the eight horse field.

JOE VANN, winner of the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne in Apr.,  is the only stakes winner among the eight entered in the Matt Winn, but he will break from the outside post with a short run to the first turn and will be meeting several lightly raced, improving horses capable of an upset.

In the Regret, lightly raced DIVA DASH and multiple stakes winning KATHMANBLU will vie for favoritism, although neither holds a decisive edge over their seven rivals, all of whom have earned competitive Beyer Speed Figures and/or have run well in turf races this year.

At Hollywood Park, a horse not named ZENYATTA will win the Grade-1, $250,000 Vanity Handicap for the first time in four years, as the 2010 Horse of the Year finally retired last fall. But this year, the race could prove to be a key race in determining which of the fillies and mares will be the strongest contender to replace Zenyatta as America’s top female racehorse.

The top contenders in this 1-1/8 mile event on the synthetic Cushion track are: BLIND LUCK, champion 3 year old filly of 2010; ST TRINIANS and SWITCH, both of whom gave Zenyatta tough battles last year. Actually, St. Trinians almost won this race last year when  Zenyatta caught her at the wire and Switch was just as close to an upset win over the great race mare at Del Mar last summer. Beyond those three top notch performers, the Vanity field includes Grade1- winning MISS MATCH and the speedy AMERICAN STORY, who surely will be a fleet target for the field to chase.

At Belmont Park in New York, the spotlight on Saturday will fall on the Grade-1 Ogden Phipps Handicap at 1-1/16 miles around one turn for experienced fillies and mares.

Among the horses entered is LIFE AT TEN, the Todd Pletcher trainee who has struggled to regain her Grade 1 form since failing to run a step in the controversial Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic at Churchill last fall.  At the bottom line, Life At Ten is one more disappointing performance away from retirement, or one good performance away from reclaiming a spot among the top female racehorses in training. Her resume does include a win in this race last year.

In either case, Life At Ten will be meeting the Billy Mott trained UNRIVALED BELLE, who finished second to Life At Ten in the 2010 Phipps and subsequently won the BC Ladies Classic. More recently, Unrivaled Belle finished a good second to the 2010 champion filly Blind Luck in the La Troienne at Churchill last month.

Also in this strong but compact field is the speedy ABSINTHE MINDED; the improving PAYTON D’ORO and two more Pletcher trained horses with good form: AWESOME MARIA and SUPER EXPRESSO. Awesome Maria has won three straight stakes and might go off as the betting favorite here.

In New Jersey on Saturday, Louisiana Derby winner PANTS ON FIRE will be the favorite in the Grade-3, $200,000 Pegasus for 3 year olds at 1-1/8 miles. Until about 6:45 PM last Saturday, Pants On Fire  was the top horse in trainer Kelly Breen’s barn. But that was before RULER ON ICE won the Belmont Stakes at 24-1 to complete the roller coaster ride we all were on throughout the 2011 Triple Crown series. Get all you horse betting in the Bodog’s online Racebook today.

Ruler On Ice Wins Belmont at 24-1; Shackleford 5th; Animal Kingdom 6th

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By Bodog SportsbookWhile victory by 24-1 shot RULER ON ICE in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday was a shock to many, the entire Triple Crown series certainly demonstrated—as so many of these classic races have shown in recent years—that form patterns have changed so dramatically that nothing can be taken for granted.

No previous pattern of prep races, no specified time away from competition can be construed as the key the Kentucky Derby. And if you do not believe that, go explain the six weeks that ANIMAL KONGDOM  had between the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on Mar. 27 and his solid Kentucky Derby victory at Churchill Downs on May 7. Or Barbaro’s five weeks off prior to his 2006 Derby win.

Likewise, there is no pattern of speed figures, or “sheet numbers” that can be used as a reliable tool for predicting improvement or a sharp regression in the spring classics–at least not as reliable as the same tools were earlier in the decade. For that evidence, consider  how Shackleford improved on his Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby numbers to win the Preakness, when the prevailing view was that his fourth in the Derby was the beginning of a regression. For that matter, many of these same gurus of speed patterns suggested that Animal Kingdom also would regress off his Derby win, yet AK ran quite well for a close second in the Preakness.

Ruler On Ice? Winning the Belmont? On what form pattern would that have seemed a logical outcome? Yet, in retrospect, this lightly raced 3-year-old hardly was an impossible winner—not when you consider that he had run well in all four of his prior route races and was likely to attend the Belmont pace without much exertion.

A few people I know, including a contest winner on my website, predicted that Ruler on Ice bet on the colt because of the way the probable pace was going to unfold.

These astute handicappers saw that Ruler on Ice would attend the pace right behind Preakness winner Shackleford, who seemed likely to get to the lead from his outside post and cruise through a mile or 1-1/4 miles without being forced to go at a rate of speed beyond his powers. Fact is, that is exactly what occurred, as Shackleford gave way entering the stretch trying to carry his speed 5/16 longer than the 1-3/16 miles Preakness.

Animal Kingdom certainly lost all chance in the Belmont when bumped by MUCHO MACHO MAN causing jockey John Velazquez to lose his irons while escaping a fall to the ground five strides out of the gate. That ‘AK’ rallied so strongly around most of the field on the long sweeping turn from the half mile pole to the quarter pole, suggested he could have been right there with a better start. Finishing sixth was not a true bill.

NEHRO, highly touted by many ‘form-pattern handicappers’ as the frequent bridesmaid who would become the groom in the Belmont, may have been hampered by the rain soaked, packed down and firmly sealed Belmont racing surface. But, his fourth in the Belmont was hard to excuse. Yet, the biggest surprise to me—even more than the winner—was STAY THIRSTY, who finished second after outgaming third place finisher BRILLIANT SPEED while both challenged the eventual winner throughout the final furlongs.

Here was Stay Thirsty, a horse had been used strictly as a workmate for several months for UNCLE MO, presumed to be the best 3 year old in America before he lost the Wood and was diagnosed with a stomach infection.

On his own at Gulfstream in April, Stay Thirsty looked like a  cheap claiming horse finishing seventh, 16 lengths behind DIALED IN in the Florida Derby. He looked only slightly better when 12th in the Kentucky Derby, 11 lengths behind Animal Kingdom.

Back in New York, Stay Thirsty started to recover his Graded Stakes form of 2010 when he worked six furlongs in 1:12 flat over the Belmont main track on May 29 and a solid five furlongs in 1:00-2/5 on June 5.

Now with Stay Thirsty’s good second place performance in the Belmont, trainerTodd Pletcher has this son of Bernardini in position run anywhere against the best 3 year olds in training.

All that said, many were disappointed in the performances of MUCHO MACHO MAN (7th), SANTIVA (8th) and MASTER OF HOUNDS (10th); who were nowhere near the pace or the top finishing positions. Moreover, we had three different longshot winners in this Triple Crown series this year and that too has become more the norm than the exception. But no horseplayers I know arfe complaining. As much as we like races to be run formfully, we also like big races with big fields to produce exciting races and boxcar mutual payoffs.

Even though the Triple Crown is over you can still bet on the ponies in Bodog’sonline racebook. Get all your odds today.

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