Monday’s Big Apple Showcase Day at Belmont Park may be run over a wet track (photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
It is Big Apple Showcase Day at Belmont Park on Monday with six stake races, but rain may put the damper on the big day for New York breds with 1-2 inches of rain in the forecast.
Memorial Day will not be a good day for cookouts in the northeast of the U.S., but with six stakes and $900,000 up for grabs, it is a good day to fire up the wagering account for a little betting.
However, five of the races on Monday’s card are carded for the turf including the $125,000 Kingston which features a rematch between rivals Kharafa, Lubash and King Kreesa.
Last year in the Kingston it was Lubash who came out the winner, with Kharafa running second and King Kreesa completing the trifecta.
Kharafa won the race in 2014 with Lubash running second while King Kreesa did not make the race. In 2013 King Kreesa got to the winner’s circle with Kharafa second and Lubash third.
The trio have faced off against each other six times. Lubash and Kharafa have taken each other on an amazing 13 times.
However, Mother Nature could interfere as none of the three have done much on dirt or slop and probably would scratch if the race comes off the turf.
The other stakes on the card are the $200,000 Commentator, $200,000 Critical Eye, $125,000 Mike Lee, $125,000 Bouwerie and the $125,000 Mt. Vernon. The Mt. Vernon is the only other stake carded for the turf.
Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Monday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 3 The Commentator (Post time 2:32 ET)
#4 Royal Posse 5-2
#7 Weekend Hideaway 5-1
#6 Sioux 3-1
#1 Eye Luv Lulu 12-1
Analysis: Royal Posse is coming off a win in the Mr. Sinatra in the mud and returns to the state bred ranks here. One of three in the field sent out by the RRod barn, this guy was claimed for $20,000 last May and he has landed in the exacta in eight straight starts for the barn. The gelding has landed in the exacta in 5 of 6 starts over the main track here and 6 of 8 in his career on wet tracks. The cut back in distance is the main concern as he has been better at nine furlongs, but comes in here sharp.
Weekend Hideaway won the state bred Affirmed Success last out off a 4 1/2 month layoff and now stretches out to a mile. He has done his best work sprinting but has enough pedigree to handle the extra ground and her has shown he can handle an off track, winning 3 of 4. The Serpe barn is 15% winners moving runners from sprint to route. Decent value if he goes off near his 5-1 morning line.
Sioux set the early fractions in the slop and was no match for the winner late in a runner up finish against Alw-2 optional claimers. He earned a career top speed fig two back at the Big A beating Alw-1 company. He is back in state bred company here for his third start of his current form cycle. He is 0 for 3 on wet tracks but is bred to like the off going and he has done some of his best work over the main track here, winning 3 of 8 trips.
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 4,7 / 1,4,6,7
TRI: 4,7 / 1,4,6,7 / 1,3,4,6,7
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