Chad Brown sends out a tough pair in Friday’s $500,000 New York (G2) on turf at Belmont Park. ( © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com
It is no surprise that Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle the top two betting choices for Friday’s $500,000 New York (G2) at Belmont Park, one of five stakes on an 11-race card.
Sea Calisi is the 5-2 morning line favorite and is coming off a victory in the Sheepshead Bay (G2) which was her first start off a six-month layoff for Brown. The mare won twice last year including the Beverly D. (G1) at Arlington Park last summer.
Brown will also saddle Dacita, who is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1. The six-year-old mare was beaten a head in her last outing in the Beaguay (G3) over yielding turf at Belmont Park in her first outing off an eight-month layoff. She is the defending champion of this race and followed the win up by taking the Diana (G1) and then missing in the Canadian (G2) at Woodbine by a nose in her last start of 2016.
The race drew a solid field of nine and I’ll look for a bit more value with Quidura (5-1) who was third in the Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland in her first start off a 5 ½ month layoff.
The $150,000 Tremont for two-year-olds kicks off the stakes action on Friday. Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out four of the eight runners in the field including 2-1 morning line favorite Salmanazar.
Whitmore (2-1) is seeking his sixth win in a row when he takes on eight foes in the $250,000 True North (G2). Among his foes are Stallwalkin’ Dude (3-1) and Noholdingback Bear (4-1).
The $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational (G3) drew an international field of 13 runners, seven that are making their U.S. debuts.
The finale on the card is the $250,000 Bed O’ Roses Invitational (G3) which drew a field of 10 fillies and mares that will travel seven furlongs on the main track. Vagrancy Handicap (G3) winner By the Moon is the 2-1 mooring line favorite.
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Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Friday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 9 The New York G2 (Post time 5:14 ET)
#1 Quidura 5-1
#8 Dacita 3-1
#6 Sea Calisi 5-2
#2 Suffused 6-1
Analysis: Quidura came off a 5 1/2 month layoff last out in a tough spot in the Jenny Wiley (G1) and she ran well, coming with a late rally to finish third. The winner was the talented Dickinson, who is a player in tomorrow’s Just a Game (G1). The runner up was Lady Eli, who came back to win the Gamely (G1) in her next outing for her fourth Grade 1 win. Illuminant came out of the Jenny Wiley to win the Monrovia (G2) at Santa Anita in her next outing. The Motion trainee has enough pedigree to handle the stretch out to 1 1/4 miles and has shown an ability to handle ground with some give to it which is a slight possibility today. Decent value if she goes off near her 5-1 morning line.
Dacita came with a god late rally and came up just a head short in the Beaguay (G3) last out in her first start off a seven-month layoff. She is better on firmer ground and won this race last year on firm footing and then won the Diana (G1). She figures to move forward second off the bench and with firmer ground. The 3-1 is fair but she likely gets bet down a point or two.
Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 1,8 / 1,2,6,8
TRI: 1,8 / 1,2,6,8 / 1,2,3,6,8
