Saturday is Million Preview Day at Arlington Park
Arlington Park will have their annual Million Preview Day on Saturday as the horses, trainers and jockeys all get their last local preps in before the big day in August. The prep for the Grade 1 Arlington Million on Saturday is the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap. Admiral Kitten won the Grade 1 Secretariat last year on Million Day and now will look to get back on track after taking some losses against really good horses like Wise Dan and Newsdad. Admiral Kitten has run three very good races over the Arlington turf so a return to Chicago could mean an improvement for him. He could however be susceptible to the pace scenario as the race only drew six runners. Avanzare looks to be the main pace player but he’s also making his stakes debut and he’s running against some very seasoned runners like Mister Marti Gras, War Dancer and Finnegans Wake. Mister Marti Gras has a million bucks in the bank and is coming off a nice prep win at Arlington over the grass. War Dancer just took home the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap at a mile and a half and before that was second in the Grade 2 Elkhorn, also at a mile and a half. He’ll be shortening up to a mile and a quarter, a distance he’s 1 for 1 at on the grass. Finnegans Wake hasn’t won in quite a while, but he’s always putting in a strong close and doing it against good horses.
The mile and one half Stars N Stripes is also a prep for the Arlington Million, but it’s at a mile and one half. The Pizza Man has been dominating at Arlington for a while now and is 6 for 9 on that course. Suntracer was second in this race last year and even though he hasn’t won in over a year, he can be a dangerous player late if they go fast enough early. The Grade 3 American Derby is for three year olds hoping to go forward to the Secretariat Stakes. Divine Oath is Grade 3 placed on polytrack and ran fourth behind the very talented Bobby’s Kitten last time out. An intriguing price play could be the lightly raced Highball who turned in a very strong maiden win at Churchill last time out and could improve in just his third start.
The Grade 3 Modesty is the big prep for the Grade 1 Beverly D. and drew a massive field of 14 runners. Tabreed is coming off a very strong second in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at a mile and a half last time. Ana Luisa was a group 1 winner in Brazil when on the grass and came to the States and has run twice on the dirt, including a sneaky good fourth in the Sixty Sails Stakes. I’m Already Sexy is a perfect 3 for 3 at Arlington Park and seems to be at her best if she can get up on the lead.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Arlington Handicap
- War Dancer
- Admiral Kitten
- Mister Marti Gras
Longshot: Finnegans Wake
BetPTC.com Selections for the Stars N Stripes
- The Pizza Man
- Moro Tap
- Suntracer
Longshot: O’Prado Ole
BetPTC.com Selections for the American Derby
- Divine Oath
- Our Channel
- Schoolofhardrocks
Longshot: Chief Barker
BetPTC.com Selections for the Modesty Handicap
- I’m Already Sexy
- Ana Luisa
- Kepi
Longshot: Dance Again
Delaware Handicap is Delaware Park’s biggest event and it’s Saturday
The Grade 1 Delaware Handicap offers up a $750,000 purse and drew one of the top horses in the country, Princess of Sylmar. A multiple Grade 1 winner, Princess of Sylmar is coming off a tremendous second place finish in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps last time, when she missed by just a head behind Close Hatches. She’s making her first start at Delaware Park and she’ll be a heavy favorite. Flashy American could be the main challenger to Princess of Sylmar and she’s coming off a second place finish in the Fleur De Lis at Churchill Downs. Before that she got a huge speed figure in the Sixty Sails Handicap when she was a dominant winner. Similar to Princess of Sylmar, Flashy American likes to come from off the pace. There is not much pace at all in the race, and it could be Belle Gallantey who will break from the inside and could get the lead early. Belle Gallantey put in a solid performance in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps when she was fifth. She was only a length and a half behind Princess of Sylmar and Close Hatches who are monsters. Belle Gallantey has just steadily gotten better and with a pace advantage, she’ll be a tough customer.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Delaware Handicap
- Princess of Sylmar
- Belle Gallantey
- Flashy American
Longshot: Gamay Noir
Bowling Green Handicap gets top billing for Belmont Saturday
The Grade 2 $200,000 Bowling Green Handicap on Saturday will be the feature at Belmont Park. Grandeur is dropping out of Grade 1 company and could be the horse to beat as he’s been assigned the high weight of 122 pounds. Joel Rosario will take over the mount on Grandeur who was fourth in the Manhattan last time out behind Real Solution. Grandeur should love the mile and one half distance and should be one of the horses finishing best at the end. Boisterous was a few lengths behind Grandeur in the Manhattan, but he does have tons of back class. He’s a Grade 1 winner at Belmont Park and is 6 for 12 over the turf at Belmont. However at 12 furlongs, he’s 0 for 2 and never hit the board. Hangover Kid could be an interesting price play in the Bowling Green. He was second last time out in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes and he has 2 wins from 5 starts at Belmont Park in his career. He’s even Grade 1 placed at eleven furlongs and draws the services of the red-hot Jose Lezcano.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Bowling Green Handicap
- Boisterous
- Grandeur
- Hangover Kid
Longshot: Chamois
Saturday night is Meadowlands Pace Night
As we close in on the Hambletonian at Meadowlands, the other big night is now upon us, as the $775,000 Meadowlance Pace tops a huge card in New Jersey Saturday night. JK Endofanera is looking to add another big win to his resume as he took home the North American Cup last month. He was a solid winner in his elimination heat last week over Always B Miki in 1:48.2 and drew a comfy post position down in the two hole. JK Endofanera is the 2/1 morning line favorite. Right to his outside is He’s Watching who was also an elimination winner last week. Tabbed at 5/2 on the line, He’s Watching was a top two year old last year and is looking to get things going this year. He scored a very nice win last time out in his elimination, stopping the clock in a career best 1:48.1. Always B Miki who was second behind JK Endofanera will be the 4/1 third choice but drew out on the outside in post nine.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Meadowlands Pace
- He’s Watching
- Luck Be Withyou
- JK Endofanera
Longshot: Lyonssomewhere
Saturday Stakes Action at BetPTC.com
Arapahoe
Race 6 CTBA Lassie Stakes 5:05pm EST
Race 8 Rocky Mountain Derby 5:55pm EST
Arlington
Race 7 Arlington Handicap 4:55pm EST
Race 8 Stars N Stripes 5:25pm EST
Race 9 American Derby 5:55pm EST
Race 10 Modesty Handicap 6:25pm EST
Belmont
Race 9 Bowling Green Handicap 5:28pm EST
Canterbury
Race 7 Lady Canterbury Stakes 4:50pm EST
Race 8 Mystic Lake Mile 5:20pm EST
Delaware Park
Race 6 Fort Delaware Stakes 3:30pm EST
Race 7 Sweet N Sassy Stakes 3:57pm EST
Race 8 Cape Henlopen Stakes 4:24pm EST
Race 9 Delaware Handicap 4:51pm EST
Race 10 Delaware Arabian Classic 5:18pm EST
Delta Downs
Race 2 Flashy Hemp Stakes 7:40pm EST
Race 4 Live Oak Stakes 8:30pm EST
Race 5 Flying Breed Stakes 8:55pm EST
Race 6 Louisiana Juvenile 9:20pm EST
Race 7 Delta Downs Derby 9:45pm EST
Race 8 Louisiana Classic 10:10pm EST
Race 9 Lee Berwick Futurity 10:35pm EST
Finger Lakes
Race 7 New York Derby 3:52pm EST
Race 9 New York Oaks 4:46pm EST
Gulfstream Park
Race 9 Birdonthewire Stakes 5:33pm EST
Race 10 Cassidy Stakes 6:04pm EST
Lone Star
Race 3 Valor Farm Stakes 8:31pm EST
Race 6 TTA Sales Futurity 9:55pm EST
Race 8 TTA Sales Futurity 10:51pm EST
Race 9 Assault Stakes 11:19pm EST
Los Alamitos
Race 7 Great Lady M. Stakes 8:00pm EST
Parx
Race 8 Parx Dash Handicap 3:41pm EST
Suffolk
Race 7 Isadorable Stakes 3:40pm EST
Woodbine
Race 6 Clarendon Stakes 3:37pm EST
Race 8 Passing Mood Stakes 4:40pm EST