Nine fillies and mares go to the post in Saturday’s $200,000 Noble Damsel (G3) at Belmont Park. (photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
A field of nine fillies and mares will line up in Saturday’s feature at Belmont Park, the $200,000 Noble Damsel (G3) at a mile on the turf.
The Brian Lynch trained Coffee Clique is the 2-1 morning line favorite. She has a Grade 1 to her credit, taking the Just a Game (G1) over the turf last June, but ran sixth in that race this year. She comes in off a decent effort in a fifth place finish in the Ballston Spa (G2).
The Bill Mott trained Lady Lara is the second choice on the morning liner at 4-1. She makes her first start since a sixth place finish in the Diana (G1) on July 25 at the Spa. She has won two of her six starts since landing in the U.S. including the Pebbles over the Belmont Park turf last fall.
The Noble Damsel goes off as the eighth race on a 10-race card at Belmont Park. Saturday’s Best Plays Report will include my strongest plays from Belmont Park and Parx, including the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G2) and $1 million Cotillion (G1).
As a friendly reminder Parx is ranked 56th among 62 racetracks ranked by the Horseplayers Association of North America. The trifecta and superfecta takeout at Parx is a ridiculous 30%. If you do decide to wager on the card at Parx on Saturday, stick to the win, place and show (17%) and exacta (20%) pools
Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 8 The Noble Damsel G3 Post time 4:46 ET
7 Crowley’s Law 6-1
8 Lady Lara 4-1
1 Coffee Clique 2-1
2 Marbre Rose 5-1
Crowley’s Law makes her U.S. debut here for the Thomas Dascombe barn and brings along jockey Colm O’Donoghue for the ride. The filly is coming off a good effort in a close up third at Haydock in the Dick Hern Stakes beaten ¾ of a length for the top spot. The winner of that race was Realtra, who came back to win the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster in her next outing on Sept. 10. She has a couple of seconds in Group 3 company including the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom back in June. She adds Lasix to the mix here and seldom runs a bad one, landing in the exacta in eight of her 14 career starts.
Lady Lara found Grade 1 company a bit too tough in her last two starts and is a better fit in this spot. Her last win came back in March at Gulfstream Park in the Honey Fox (G2) at a mile. She won the Pebbles over the turf here last October in her U.S. debut. The class relief should suit this Bill Mott trainee.
Coffee Clique was only beaten 1 ¾ lengths in a fifth place finish in the Ballston Spa (G2) last out at the Saratoga. Two back the mare won the Dr. James Penney Memorial Handicap (G3) at Philly. She has five wins on turf in her career in 13 starts including taking the 2014 Just a Game (G1) over the turf here. She looks tough here but may end up a light price.
Marbre Rose is coming off a win on poly in the seven furlong Seaway (G3) at Woodbine. She has done most of her best work on turf and ran well on the lawn two and three back in runner up finishes in the Perfect Sting and Intercontinental over the turf here. The switch back to turf and the extra furlong will suit this gal.
Wagering:
WIN: Crowley’s Law to win at 4-1 or better.
EXACTA: 7,8 / 1,2,7,8
TRIFECTA: 7,8 / 1,2,7,8 / 1,2,5,6,7,8
Belmont Park Fall Championship Meet Special:
Michael Dempsey’s full card reports for the entire Belmont Park Fall Championship meeting from September 11 until Nov 1! SPECIAL BONUS: Includes the two-day Breeders’ Cup Report!
