A field of eight battle in the $100,000 Allied Forces) on turf at Belmont Park. (© Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com
Horseplayers will be greeted with a two-day Pick 6 carryover of $104,773 for Sunday’s live racing program at Belmont Park. The multi-race wager begins in Race 5 with an approximate post time of 3:36 p.m. ET and will feature the $100,000 Allied Forces, carded for Race 8.
No favorites won during Saturday’s Pick 6 sequence. The wager kicked off in race 5 with Vagabond ($12.80) followed by: Speighgal ($9.90), Queen of Spades ($46.80), Securitiz ($6.90), Blacktype ($7.20) and Outrageous Bet ($34.60) taking the day’s finale.
A consolation payout of $2,232 was awarded to bettors who had five of six winners.
Centennial Farm’s Securitiz captured the $100,000 Seattle Slew by a neck on Saturday at Belmont Park outlasting his three challengers in a race that saw several lead changes over the 1 1/8 mile race.
After a clean break by all, 4-5 favorite Conquest Windycity took the lead for the first half mile posting fractions of 24.14 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.30 for the half with Doyouknowsomething sitting just a stride off the lead. Shortly after the half mile pole, jockey Manny Franco pulled Securitiz back to fourth, as Doyouknowsomething took over the lead until the stretch, when Backsideofthemoon went to the front. At the three-eighths pole, Securitiz starting making a final run on the outside of his competitors, edging out Backsideofthemoon at the wire in a final time of 1:50.19.
“He broke good, I knew coming in I wanted to let the favorite [No. 3, Conquest Windycity] go easy in front. I tried to put a little pressure on him early, but near the half-mile pole my horse started backing up. I said ‘come on’ but Jimmy told me before the race he’ll give you a good run, relax and come back. He’s a game horse, when I asked him again at the three-eighths pole he responded and went on strong to the wire,” said Franco.
Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said the race unfolded like he expected it would with a field of only four runners.
“Yeah, jocks don’t know what to really do, ‘should I go,’ ‘shouldn’t I go,’ ‘I don’t want him to have an easy lead, but then I want to save something for the end,’ so that’s why the lead switched about 100 times before the end of the stretch. But he wore them down. He is that type. He ran decent in the distance races last year, so he has a lot of stamina.”
It was the third win for Securitiz in 17 career starts and his first stakes victory. His career earnings are now $268,476 with the victory.
“Now he is out of his three other than condition, so he is in a tough spot right now. We will probably have to go fishing around for him now,” Jerkens said.
Securitiz paid $6.90 on a $2 win bet. Finishing second was Backsideofthemoon, followed by Doyouknowsomething and Conquest Windycity.
Royal Posse and Far From Over were scratched.
Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 8 The Allied Forces (5:13 ET)
#7 Big Handsome 7-5
#6 White Flag 3-1
#3 Fact Finding 5-1
#2 Harlan’s Harmony 15-1
Analysis: Big Handsome prompted the early pace and battled on gamely in a close up third last out in the Hall of Fame (G2) going a route of ground at the Spa, beaten 3/4 of a length for the top spot and losing a photo for the place spot. This guy is perfect in three turf sprints including winning the Paradise Creek three back over the turf here at seven furlongs. The cut back in distance will suit this guy. Castellano sticks for the Tony D. barn that is 22% winners overall in turf sprints.
White Flag broke his maiden over the grass here two back in his fourth career start and then came right back to beat Alw-1 company last out going seven furlongs here in a sharp effort. He shares top last out speed fig honors with our top pick. The Clement trainee looks headed in the right direction form wise and may need to move up a length or two to handle our top pick but may end up offering a bit more value.
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 8-5 or better.
EX: 6,7 / 2,3,6,7
TRI: 6,7 / 2,3,6,7 / 1,2,3,6,7
