A field of seven line up in Saturday’s $300,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) led by last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) champ Battle of Midway (Photo credit: © Bratty1206 | Dreamstime.com)
Trainer Chad Brown will send out a pair of runners in Saturday’s $300,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) looking to pull off a mild upset over likely short priced favorite Battle of Midway.
Brown will saddle the duo of Patternrecognition (9-2), who makes his stakes debut and Timeline (8-1) who is looking to regain the form that saw him win last year’s Peter Pan (G3) over the main track here followed by the Pegasus (G3) at Monmouth Park.
Battle of Midway, the defending champion of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) is making just his second start since that victory. The Jerry Hollendorfer trainee ran second to Catalina Cruiser in the Pat O’Brien (G2) at Del Mar going seven furlongs off the layoff.
The Jason Servis trained Sunny Ridge (3-1) and the Tim Keefe trainee Still having Fun (8-1) are cross-entered in the $300,000 Gallant Bob (G3) at Parx Racing but are expected to run here. Completing the field are Alydar winner Realm (10-1) and Forego (G1) fifth place finisher No Dozing (8-1).
The co-feature on Saturday’s card at Belmont Park is the $200,000 Noble Damsel (G3) going a mile on turf. The race drew six fillies and mares but likely will scratch down to a field of four. Both Life Up and Mythical Mission are cross-entered in the $150,000 All Along Stakes at Laurel Park and appear headed to Maryland.
My Best Plays Report for Saturday will include my strongest plays from Belmont Park and Parx Racing. Philly offers up a pair of $1 million Grade 1 races in the Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion.
Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 8 The Kelso Handicap (G2) Post time 5:18 ET
6 Patternrecognition 9-2
1 Battle of Midway 2-1
7 Sunny Ridge 3-1
2 Timeline 8-1
Analysis: Patternrecognition makes his stakes debut here for the Chad Brown barn off a game win versus Alw-2 optional claimers last out going seven furlongs over a wet track at the Spa. His one go at a mile came at the Big A last November and produced a win versus Alw-1 company and a career top speed fig. The five-year-old has made just nine starts in his career, landing in the exacta in eight of those outings. He owns solid early and mid pace numbers and the extra furlong here should suit him. The Brown barn is 29% winners moving runners fro m sprint to route.
Battle of Midway makes his second start off the bench here for the Hollendorfer barn. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner bobbled coming out of the gate last out in the Pat O’Brien (G2) at Del Mar off the bench. he was sent up to prompt the early pace and proved no match for the undefeated Catalina Cruiser. The colt sports a couple of bullet works on the morning tab since his last outing and this guy fires every time out, the lone subpar effort in his debut a sixth in the nine-furlong Haskell Invitational (G1) last summer. He figures to move forward second off the bench, but his price is likely going to be shorter than his 2-1 morning line.
Sunny Ridge cuts back from nine furlongs where the gelding came with a six wide bid and had no punch left late in a ninth-place finish in the Woodward (G1) at the Spa. He earned a career top speed fig two back winning the State Dinner over the main track here. The cut back to a one turn mile will suit this Servis trainee. He has run well in all three of his trips over the main track here.
Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 1,6 / 1,2,6,7
TRI: 1,6 / 1,2,6,7 / 1,2,4,6,7
