Day two has five stakes races. Cheap thrills late pick four ticket below. (This analysis was done pre-scratches.)
Race 3 Bed o’ Roses Stakes 1:58 EST A four horse field to start today’s stakes offering. More of a race to watch rather than bet. Gun to my head, I’ll take the 1 Obligatory to make her closing bid. Can’t argue if you like one of the other three in here, though.
Race 8 Gold Cup Stakes 4:42 EST A two-mile (!!) grade 2 marathon, there are at least five horses I can make a decent case to win. I’ll go the value route and use the 1 Loft and the 8 Box N Score on the ‘A’ line. The breeding fits for Loft, and Box N Score is going to be an overlay at double-digit odds. A lot can happen over two miles, and I’m hoping that the favorite 2 Abaan runs out of gas late.
Race 9 True North Stakes 5:17 EST What fool out here is trying to beat 3 Jackie’s Warrior? This horse is a capital-m monster. Ten wins in fourteen career starts. This is a free square in the pick four.
Race 10 New York Stakes 5:50 EST Mares going a mile and a quarter on the turf here, and I’m going to spread a little as this looks to be a competitive field. I can’t knock 2 Rougir, a worthy morning line favorite. I just don’t see here as the cinch that others do. The 5 Bleecker Street is a gray and a big closer, and while this is the best company she’s gone up against, I just can’t get past her 6-6-0-0 career line. The 3 Virginia Joy out of Chad Brown’s barn, won last time out under Trevor McCarthy, who stays aboard today. Long distance specialist 7 Family Way is no slouch for trainer Brendan Walsh, and Tyler Gaffalione has ridden her last three–two places and one win.
Race 11 Intercontinental Stakes 6:22 EST This grade 3 for mares 4YO and up is my favorite of the sequence. A large, competitive field that has value written all over it. My top choice is 4 Tobys Heart, a nice closer who won last time out at Churchill, and trainer Brian Lynch is pushing all the right buttons with his stable at present. I’ve been keeping tabs on the 6 Robin Sparkles since last summer when she won back-to-back races at Belmont. She should be on the lead in this field, and who knows? Maybe she can wire them. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention 12 Nevisian Sunrise, 6-2-3-1 lifetime for Chad Brown, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons again today.
So, are we trying to beat the favorite in the first leg? Here’s that ticket:
Adding Abaan in the first leg puts it at $18:
And, for those who want to go real big and try to catch a price in the last leg:
Best of luck today!