Animal Kingdom (5-2)

With two races down and two different winners, we will have to wait another year to crown a Triple Crown Champion, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of excitement this Saturday at Belmont Park for the 143^rd running of the “Test of a Champion”.

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The mile-and-a-half long track will host twelve 3-year-old colts all hoping to make history by winning one of the most prestigious races in the sport—the third leg of the Triple Crown—the Belmont Stakes.

Favorites Animal Kingdom (5-2) and Shackleford (9-2), the winners of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, will be in favorable positions to win this weekend’s race.

Animal Kingdom and his once-Belmont-champion jockey John Velazquez, will no doubt have the advantage in the “Run for the Carnations,” but Shackleford is riding high after a surprise victory at Pimlico.

Shackleford’s only knock in his Preakness win was that he almost gave it up towards the end, and with Belmont being on a much longer track, this has to be a scary thought when considering putting your hard-earned money down on this contender.

Other favorites like Mucho Macho Man (8-1) and grandson to Triple Crown winner Secretariat, Nehro (7-2), will surely have a grand shot at Belmont. Mucho Macho Man has to be more aggressive if he wants to finish his career on a high note after the disappointment in the Preakness.

Nehro will have a chance to use his well-known running style to his advantage in this race more so than the first two of the Triple Crown, when he got too far behind to allow his finishing skills to win. This being a much longer track than either of the first two, he will have a much better chance at gaining ground, and even gaining the lead, rounding the quarter pole.

Master Of Hounds (11-2) is a bit of an enigma, as he should have been a major contender at all three races, but he fell back in both and never was a threat to Animal Kingdom or Shackleford. The Irish colt will start at the most disadvantaged postposition in the race –far outside 12, where horses tend to get closed off at the beginning, but with Master Of Hounds finishing-type running style, it’s hard to count him out.

Santiva (14-1) is my dark horse for this race, and with his odds, he would provide a huge payout. In his preparation for the race, he has looked magnificent, and the sixth-place finisher at the Kentucky Derby has fresh legs, having only raced in three races all year.

Long shots like Prime Cut (20-1) and Ruler On Ice (20-1) will look to surprise at Belmont Park, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise if either of these two horses finished in the top three on Saturday. Ruler On Ice is a great sleeper pick because of the great season he has had when he has never finished below third place.

Pick–Animal Kingdom – My pick has to be Animal Kingdom. Although he had a disappointing finish in the Preakness, the fact that second place among the top thoroughbreds in the nation was a disappointment says enough all on its own. Any other horse coming around that final corner ahead has to be considered a dark horse behind Animal Kingdom.

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This Saturday, June 11 marks the 143^rd running of the Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. This is the third and final race on this season’s Triple Crown schedule and is shaping up as one of the best with a strong field of contenders. The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the three races at a mile and a half, and a true test of stamina and endurance for these three-year old Thoroughbreds.

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BetOnline.com has opened Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom as the early favorite at 5/2. This horse was just a half a length away from competing for an elusive Triple Crown with a second-place finish in the Preakness Stakes. Trained by H. Graham Motion and ridden by John Velazquez, he went off at 21/1 in the Kentucky Derby, but closed as the 2/1 favorite for the Preakness. Animal Kingdom ran well off the pace in both of those races and has shown the ability to use his closing speed to win from behind.

Nehro has been opened as the second choice at 7/2. Trainer Steve Asmussen decided to hold this colt out of the Preakness after a solid run in the Kentucky Derby landed him in second place; 2 ¾ lengths back. The extra rest could end up being a major factor as all the other top contenders for this race have run in the first two. Prior to the derby, he finished second in the grade II Louisiana Derby at the end of March and second in the grade I Arkansas Derby in early April.

Preakness winner Shackleford is the third choice to win on Saturday at 5/1. This horse is known as a pace setter and could be impacted by the added distance of this race. He streaked to the lead in the grade I Florida Derby only to finish second to Dialed In. He once again set the early pace in the Derby, but faded down the stretch to finish fourth. Trainer Dale Romans had jockey Jesus Castanon hold Shackleford back a bit in the Preakness and will most likely employ the same strategy on Saturday to preserve some juice for the stretch run.

The fourth choice for the Belmont is Master of Hounds at 6/1. Trained by Aiden O’Brian and ridden by Garrett Gomez, this colt made his three-year old debut with a second-place finish in the UAE Derby in Dubai. He ran near the back of the pack in the Kentucky Derby before using a late kick to finish fifth. He too was held out of the Preakness and saw his stock rise with some impressive workouts over the past few weeks. The lack of experience in such a strong field could work against him in a race of this length.

Mucho Macho Man, another veteran of both Triple Crown races, is the fifth favorite at 15/2. He finished third in the Derby after running eighth for a good part of the race, but could not produce the same kick down the stretch in the Preakness and ended up sixth. Trained by Katherine Ritvo and ridden by Rajiv Maragh, it remains to be seen how much Mucho Macho Man has left for this race.

Everyone is expecting another showdown between Animal Kingdom and Shackleford in the race, but go with the well-rested Nehro to finally break his string of second-place finishes with a win on Saturday.

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Long shot Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and jockey John Velazquez  will try to take the next step to becoming racing’s first Triple Crown winner since 1978 when they team up for the 136^th running of the Preakness Stakes at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore this Saturday afternoon.

Just two weeks ago, Velazquez, made the switch to Animal Kingdom after regular jock Robby Albarado took a spill in a race in late April, and closed from fifth position to cash winning tickets at 20-1 odds.

Now the duo will attempt to snatch the second leg of the famed Triple Crown before heading to the daunting Belmont Stakes to claim the coveted title that only 11 horses have managed since 1919.

But first, they will have to get by a full field of 14 other contenders – including Derby favorite Dialed In—all of whom will be chasing a $1 million purse around the 1-3/16 mile course.

The 2011 field won’t include another Derby contender and early favorite, Uncle Mo, who was scratched from the Running of the Roses the day before the race, due to a yet-to-be diagnosed internal issue. Trainer Todd Pletcher has chosen to skip the race at Pimlico, and it’s not yet been decide if Mo will show at the Belmont.

Much like the Derby, this year’s Preakness Stakes are up for grabs. So let’s take a look at the top three horses in this year’s competition.

Post 10: Dialed In (9-2) – The son of Mineshaft figures to have much better go around at the Preakness than his eight-place finish at the Derby, and cannot afford to drop too far back in the early stages if he wants to finish first at the wire. The Nick Zito trainee is the only horse in the field to win two major prep races—the Holy Bull Stakes, and the Florida Derby, but will face a difficult task breaking from post 10. No horse has won from that spot since Real Quiet did in it 1998.

Post 11: Animal Kingdom (2-1) – Graham Motion’s morning line favorite has drawn the dreaded post 11. Only two Preakness winners have ever broke from the 11th position. However, it should be of  little concern for the 3-year old colt that won the Derby from an outside draw, coming from behind a slow pace. There should be no problems in this race as the early fractions are expected to be much faster. Since 1984, only three Preakness Stakes’ winners did not run in the Kentucky Derby. However, as favorable as it is for Derby winners to make the trip to Pimlico, getting a horse to peak twice in a two-week period is still a dauntless task.

Post 9: Mucho Macho Man (6-1) – Funny Cide was the last to win the 2003 Preakness from the ninth postposition, but if any contender in this year’s field has the best chance to repeat that feat, it’s the son of Macho Uno who narrowly missed taking second in this year’s Derby. Katherine Ritvo’s trainee was edged out by Nehro at the 1/16^th pole, but the shorter distance of the Preakness will likely work to his advantage. He’s never finished worse than third in five two-turn races, and has placed third or better eight times in nine career starts.

The rest of the field is as follows (postpositions and odds): 1. Astrology (15-1) - Has hit the board in all seven career races, 2. Norman Asbjornson (30-1) –Has won or placed in three of his last four starts, 3. King Congie (20-1) –Finished first in three of his last four races, 4. Flashpoint (20-1) – Won the Hutcheson Stakes, but placed a distant fourth in the Florida Derby, 5. Shackleford (12-1) – Has finished in the top five in each of his last five races, winning twice and placing once, 6. Sway Away (15-1) – Has finished fourth or better in four of five races, and is the son of 2005 Preakness Stakes winner Afleet Alex, 7. Midnight Interlude (15-1) –Won the Santa Anita Derby but finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby, 8. Dance City (12-1) –Has finished first in his last three starts, 12. Isn’t He Perfect (30-1) –Has won just twice in 12 starts, 13. Concealed Identity (30-1) –Finished first in the Frederico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico earlier this month, 14. Concealed Identity (30-1) –Finished third in the Santa Anita Derby.

My pick is Mucho Macho Man. This horse is peaking at the right time and looked strong in the Kentucky Derby. Rajiv Maragh has done a good job since getting the mount after regular rider Eibar Coa was injured in a riding accident at Gulfstream Park in February. The tandem won the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans in their first race, and then placed third in the Louisiana Derby behind Nehro and Pants on Fire who will not compete in this weekend’s Preakness Stakes.

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The 136^th running of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland is scheduled to take place this Saturday, May 21 with post time set for 6:15 p.m. (ET). The race will be broadcast nationally on NBC.

The second jewel in the Triple Crown horse racing season is attracting a little more attention that normal given the fact that this year’s winner of the Kentucky Derby, Animal Kingdom is the current odds-on-favorite to win this race as well, thus keeping his chances for an elusive Triple Crown alive. The last horse win all three races was Affirmed way back in 1978. Since then there have been 11 horses that have gone on to win the first two races only to fall short in the third and longest of the three, the  1 ½ mile Belmont Stakes. The last horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes was Big Brown in 2008.

Animal Kingdom has been opened by BetUs.com at +225 to win the Preakness and is currently at +600 to go onto win the Belmont as well. The line on him failing to win the Triple Crown is -1000. He is trained by Graham Motion and will be ridden by John Velazquez, who was a late replacement in the Derby for the injured Robby Albarado. The three-year old colt won the grade III Spiral Stakes at Turfway on March 26 and ran on dirt for the first time in his career at Churchill Downs. He has three wins and two seconds in five career races and now has $1,696,800 in career earnings.

Dialed In is the second favorite at +400. He went off as the 5-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby but got stuck in the middle of the pack in the 19-horse field and finished out of the money in eight place. Trained by Nick Zito and ridden by Julien Leparoux, this colt’s first major stakes victory was in the grade III Holy Bull at Gulfstream on January 30. He rose to the top of the rankings with a win in the grade I Florida Derby on April 3 as 3-1 second choice.

Mucho Macho Man is the third favorite at +600 and is trained by Katherine Ritvo and will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh. His late charge in the Kentucky Derby had him finishing in the money in the show position, just a neck behind Nehro for second. This colt has never finished worse than fourth in his career and has a victory in the grade II Risen Star on February 19 and a third-place finish in the grade II Louisiana Derby also on his resume.

The fourth-favorite to win this race is Shackleford at +800. He set the early pace in the Kentucky Derby and stayed in the lead deep into the stretch, before giving way to finish fourth. This colt is trained by Dale Romans and will be ridden by Jesus Castanon. Known for his fast starts, he also set the pace in the Florida Derby but was beaten by Dialed In by a head to finish second. His only win as a three-year old was in an allowance race back in early February.

A moderate longshot at +2000 that offers some legitimate value is Midnight Interlude. He is coming off a disappointing 16^th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby but prior to that he came away with a victory in the grade II Santa Anita Derby in early April. Another plus is the fact that he is trained by Bob Baffert and will be ridden by veteran jockey Martin Garcia. Garcia filled in for Garret Gomez in last year’s Preakness and guided Lookin at Lucky to the winner’s circle at Pimlico.

This should be another close race with a number of quality horses in the field, but you just cannot help get the feeling that we are due for another run at a Triple Crown with Animal Kingdom taking the second leg in the Preakness.

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The 137^th Run for the Roses will take place at Churchill Downs in Louisville this Saturday and features a field as wide open as any to have been seen in recent years.

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Drawing for postpositions took place on Wednesday. And while it’s important to understand the positions close to the rail, and what the odds on the horses are, there are other factors that serious bettors may want to consider.

Since 1982, 14 winners have come from the 10^th position or further out from the railing. Only one of the last five winners fit this criteria (Big Brown in 2008), and a victory this year from inside the first nine would mark the third straight year this has occurred. The last to win from there was Ferdinand in 1986. The last horse to finish in the top three from post 1 was Risen Star in 1988. Limehouse (2004) and Jazil (2006) finished fourth breaking from the rail.

That same year was also the last time the horse that started the race on the railing won the Derby. Winning Colors turned the trick that year, just two years after Ferdinand went from worst to first with Willie Shoemaker in the stirrups. Before that, the last contender to win from the first postposition was Chateaugay in 1963. The horse in that spot this year is Archarcharch, who starts at 10-1 odds. The Arkansas Derby (G1) winner will surely have his work cut out for him but was the picture of calm composure with jockey Jon Court up top, as he waited in the “Holthus Gap” for the track to open after the Thursday morning renovation break at Churchill Downs.

Looking at this year’s jockeys, Calvin Bo “rail” is looking to win his third straight Kentucky Derby, and fourth in the last five years. In the previous, four instances that one jockey has won consecutive years, they failed to ‘three-peat’ every time. Borel will be in the irons aboard Twice the Appeal out of the third position, at 20-1 odds. Sandwiched between Borel and the post position is long shot Brilliant Speed at 30-1.

For period of eight years between 1995 and 2002, you had a solid chance of picking a winner by choosing a horse trained by either D. Wayne Lukas or Bob Baffert. During the stretch, the two men combined to win six of the eight races. Since Baffert’s War Emblem won in 2002, eight different trainers have all reached the winner’s circle. Archarcharch and Midnight Interlude, starting in the No. 15 spot and trained by Baffert, are two of the early morning line favorites at 10-1.

The lead favorite on the board is the Nick Zito trained Dialed In, who is listed at 4-1 from the eighth spot. Dialed In has prior experience at Churchill Downs, where he won his first career start by a half-length in November. Zito nearly joined fellow Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert as a three-time champ last year, when Ice Box overcame traffic trouble twice only to finish second, beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Super Saver.

As for the rest of the field: Stay Thirsty is at No. 4 and is listed at 20-1; Decisive Moment is at No. 5 and is listed at 30-1; Comma to the Top is at No. 6 and is listed at 30-1; Pants on Fire, with Rosie Napravnik aboard, is at No. 7 and is listed at 20-1 (this is one to watch); Derby Kitten is at No. 9 and is listed at 30-1; Twin Spired is at No. 10 and is listed at 30-1; both Master of Hounds at No.11 and Santiva at No. 12 are both listed at 30-1; Mucho Macho Man at No. 13 and Shackleford at No. 14 are both at 12-1 odds; and Animal Kingdom is at No. 16 listed at 30-1.

Soldat is at No. 17 and is listed at 12-1. The 3-year-old colt had never been worse than second in seven starts, winning the Fountain of as he headed into the April 3 Florida Derby as the favorite. But after 1-1/8 miles and less than two minutes, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee finished fifth that day at Gulfstream Park.

Finally, a personal favorite of mine, Uncle Mo, who figures to set the pace at No 18, is on the board at 9-2 odds. Even though Mo was upset in the running of last month’s Wood Memorial, the juvenile champion last year should still be considered to place on the board on Saturday.

Rounding out the field are Nehro (7-1), with jockey Corey Nakatani on board and Watch Me Go (50-1), who finished 17 lengths out in the Illinois Derby. Nehro has show consistent signs of maturity as he finished second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 26 then demonstrated a flash of talent in passing eight horses in the Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 16 at Oaklawn Park, where he finished second by a neck to Archarcharch.

Matt’s Prediction & Free Pick: My trifecta for this weekend’s “Run for the Roses” for the favorites: Dialed In, Archarcharch, and Nehro.

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Saturday, November 6, 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); 1 1/4 miles; 3 Year Olds & Up; $5 Million; post time 6:45pm ET on ABC and ESPN

The 27^th annual running of the Breeders’ Cup will end on Saturday with an evening race under the lights at Churchill Downs, as super horse Zenyatta will attempt to defend her Cup Classic title on the way to a perfect 20-0 record.

Zenyatta stunned racing fans everywhere when she became the first female horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year, and will try and become the first repeat winner of the race in a decade as she takes on a field of 12 of the world’s best thoroughbreds.

Will she make history once again?

If she does, she will have to beat out some serious contenders including Blame, Quality Road, and Derby contender Lookin at Lucky.

Weather conditions calls for clear skies with the temperature hovering in the 50s, and maybe a few degrees cooler when the Classic goes off at 6:45 p.m.

Here I take look at the contenders in this year’s Classic listed in order by postposition. Good luck and enjoy what should be a spectacular race.

1 QUALITY ROAD -VELAZQUEZ 5/1 - Quality Road scratched at the gate in his first attempt at a Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2009, but should be considered in the exotics and is third best pick to win. The rail is not the best place to be for speed in this race but trainer Todd Pletcher doesn’t seem worried.

2 PADDY O’PRADO-DESORMEAUX 15/1 – Kent Desormeaux will have his hands full breaking from the two post, as it is not a great spot at Churchill Downs either. However, Paddy O’ Prado is strong enough to overcome the spot, and at 15-1 is worth a look. Paddy placed third earlier this year in the Kentucky Derby on this track in May, and is a horse that will settle in the pack and make a move late in the race.

3 HAYNESFIELD-DOMINGUEZ 12/1 – The Jockey Club Gold Cup winner has looked consistent over the past couple of weeks. He has as won his share of big stakes races over the last two years, but  has had two bad races in his career, both when agitated at the starting gate. Slipping in early at the three hole should keep him calm.

4 FIRST DUDE-ALBARADO 15/1 – Paddy’s stable mate has only placed first once, but did finish second in the Preakness Stakes and third in the Belmont Stakes. Definitely, a consideration for the exotics and maybe a small Win/Place/Show bet.

5 BLAME-GOMEZ 9/2 – The 4-year old gets the prime starting spot out of the gate, and couldn’t have looked better in his final prep, a five-eighths drill at Keeneland. A good place bet here.

6 FLY DOWN- LEPAROUX 15/1 – This is Nick Zito’s gutsiest horse and made one the most  remarkable runs in the Travers Stakes, as he swung wide and then made an inconceivable stretch run to fall just shy of the win. Consider Fly Down at 20-1 as a choice in an exotic.

7 MUSKET MAN-MARAGH 20/1 - Musket Man ran third in the 2009 Kentucky Derby and third in the Churchill Downs Stakes on this year’s Derby undercard. At 20-1, he’s a serious bettor’s horse.

8 ZENYATTA -SMITH 8/5 - Undefeated in 19 starts, Zenyatta is a living legend as she heads to the gate on Saturday night. She looked good in her first two gallops since arriving from the West Coast and should be ready to deliver. She should be on everyone’s card.

9 PLEASANT PRINCE-ROSARIO 30/1 - Coming off a two and a half lengths win over Timely Pursuit in the Oklahoma Derby, Pleasant Prince looks good as Joel Rosario gets his second chance in the irons on Pleasant in the Classic.

10 ETCHED-GARCIA 30/1 – Etched beat out fellow Cup Classic entry, Musket Man in this year’s Monmouth Cup, and is currently on a two race winning streak. He will likely fall off the pace from the start and well have a difficult time catching up to the field late in the race.

11 ESPOIR CITY -SATO 20/1 – Japanese horse racing champion, Espoir City, has won 11 of 20 in his career, and has run his best races on dirt. He will be running his first race after taking a loss in his final prep race. Consider Espoir City in some exotics.

12 LOOKIN AT LUCKY- GARCIA 6/1 –This horse at the very least should be considered as part of one’s trifecta. Like Blame, he is very consistent. An outside postposition may not be a bad spot as he was run into the rail early this year in here in the Derby. Has looked good in his first two gallops since arriving from the West Coast and looks ready to deliver a career-best effort in the Classic.

Friday, November 6, 3:30-7:00 ET on ESPN2

Saturday, November 7, 1:00-7:00 ET on ABC and ESPN

Smack dab in the middle of the NFL and College football seasons is the 27^th annual running of the Breeder’s Cup.

With $25.5 million in purse money on the line, it’s the Super Bowl of horseracing.

A record 184 horses including 26 from overseas were pre-entered in this year’s two-day event that is set to make its seventh visit to Churchill Downs –the home of the Kentucky Derby.

There will be fourteen classic races with five Breeders Cup races on day one and nine on day two, all beginning on Friday November 5.

Only horses that have been pre-entered can be in the final entries. Both Zenyatta, winner of the Classic last year and overall favorite, and Goldikova, winner of the Mile the last two years, are back to defend their titles.

Here we take a peek at the favorite in each race including two of this year’s headline events starting with Friday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic worth $2 million, and Saturday’s 1 1/4 mile, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Weather conditions calls for a chance for showers with highs in the 40s on Friday, with the temperature hovering in the 50s on Saturday, numbers that are likely to dip when the Classic goes off under the lights at 6:45 p.m.

Good luck with your handicapping and enjoy what should be a spectacular day of racing at its finest. Note that all post times are Eastern Time.

Friday November 6

Breeders’ Cup Marathon (G3); 1 3/4 miles; 3 Year Olds & Up; $500,000; post time 4:10pm –The early favorite is at 3/1 is Giant Oak. He is a strong finisher, and has proved himself by placing third in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic on a sloppy track at Monmouth. He does show some inconstancy and has not won since May 2009. He is a deep closer and with rain in the forecast, conditions could be favorable.

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Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2); 1 mile (Turf); 2 Year Old Fillies; $1 Million; post time 4:50pm –Winter Memories is the 3/1 early favorite based largely in part to her victory in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 3, and a maiden win at Saratoga on Sept. 3. Daughter of El Prado out of the Grade 1-winning mare Memories of Silver, she is fast on the longer tracks covering a 1 1/8 mile turf course in 1:45.69.

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Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1); 7 furlongs; 3 Year Olds & Up; Fillies & Mares; $1 Million; post time 5:30pm – Rightly So is very fast and should be the early pacesetter at 3/1. Winner of seven of 11 races, including the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga in her last start, she finished in a strong time of 1:22.58 over a fast track, drawing away to an easy four-length victory over Warblin. A soft tracks and sloppy conditions could be her downfall.

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Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1); 1 1/16 miles; 2 Year Old Fillies; $2 Million; post time 6:10pm – A Z Warrior winner of the Frizette Stakes (gr. I) will break from post 8 as the 7-2 morning line favorite. Zayat Stables’ daughter of Bernardini will be ridden by Martin Garcia and face 12 2-year-old fillies that have less experience.

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Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1); 1 3/8 miles (Turf); 3 Year Olds & Up Fillies & Mares; $2 Million; post time 6:50pm – At 8/5 European filly Midday will be back to defend her title after winning the 2009 Filly & Mare Turf last year at Santa Anita. She has seven wins in 15 starts including a win at the Qatar Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sept. 12 by 3/4′s of a length.

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Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1); 1 1/8 miles; 3 Year Olds & Up; Fillies & Mares; $2 Million; post time 7:30pm - Listed as the early odds-on-favorite at 3/1, Blind Luck is the has already won five graded stakes races this season. Her most recent victory was in the grade I $500,000 BetFair TVG Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on Aug.21. The daughter of Pollard’s Vision had her last workout at Hollywood Park on Oct. 30, going 5f in 1:00 flat and will gallop up to the Ladies’ Classic.

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Saturday November 7

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2); 1 Mile (Turf); 2 Year Olds; $1 Million; post time 1:50pm - At 4/1, Master of Hounds will be the early favorite. It took  four attempts to win his maiden, but was successful when stretching out to 7½ furlongs. He will likely want to go farther than a mile, but his experience and class fits with this group. Like most European horses, he has little experience on a firm surface, so a damp track from Friday’s rains would be favorable.

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Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1); 6 Furlongs; 3 Year Olds & Up; $2 Million; post time 2:30pm – At 7/2 Girolamo drew post 2. In his last start, the son of A.P. Indy drew clear in the Vosburgh Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths Oct. 2 at Belmont Park. He is one-for-one at six furlongs.

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Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G2); 5 Furlongs (Turf); 3 Year Olds & Up; $1 Million; post time 3:15pm – At 5/1 Silver Timber will be suited by the shorter trip. Only sixth in the Turf Sprint last year, he has had a successful 2010, winning four times on fast ground and could well pick up the pieces if the leaders go too fast.

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Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1); 1 1/16 miles; 2 Year Old Colts & Geldings; $2 Million; post time 3:55pm - Undefeated Grade 1 winner Uncle Mo is the fav at 8/5. Mo just needs to run the same race he ran when winning the Champagne Stakes (G1) by 4 ¾ lengths.

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TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1); 1 mile (Turf); 3 Year Olds & Up; $2 Million; post time 4:40pm – Goldikova is 7/5 and will pursue an unprecedented third consecutive victory in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile on Saturday. The French version of Zenyatta is a headstrong filly with brute strength and should be in the winner’s circle at the end of this one.

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Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1); 1 Mile; 3 Year Olds & Up; $1 Million; post time 5:20pm – Crown of Thorns, second in four straight Grade 1 races including most recently, the Grade 1 Forego, were the two top horses pre-entered for the $1 million Dirt Mile.  He was beaten by a nose in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. This Dirt Mile will be the first in the event’s brief history actually to be run at one mile on dirt. It will also be the first Dirt Mile run around one turn.

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Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1); 1 1/2 miles (Turf); 3 Year Olds & Up; $3 Million; post time 6:00pm – Workforce drew post 6 and has been listed as the 7-5 favorite, but could scratch and go home early due to trainer Michael Stoute’s concern about course conditions. The English-bred 3-year-old son of King’s Best is 3-1-0 from five starts including a win at the  Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I) and the highly prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I).

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Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); 1 1/4 miles; 3 Year Olds & Up; $5 Million; post time 6:45pm –The picture of perfection, wining over varying racing surfaces and circuits, and in all-weather, Zenyatta, 5/2, was assigned post position 8 for the final start of her career on Saturday. The 6-year-old California-based mare is undefeated in 19 career starts and was the dramatic winner of the 2009 BC Classic at Santa Anita. Mike Smith will be in the irons to guide this massive filly to what he hopes will be her 20^th straight career win. She can make her own race, not needing pace help, and finishes with a flourish like few before her.

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The 142^nd running of the Belmont Stakes will take place this Saturday, June 5^th at Belmont Park in Elmont New York. Post time is scheduled for 6:32 P.M (ET) and is race number 11 of a 13 race card. The final and longest of the three Triple Crown races, The Belmont is a grade I stakes race for three year old Thoroughbreds with a total prize purse of $1,000,000. It is contested on a dirt track over a distance of     1 ½ mile.

With a field of 12 entries, here is a brief preview along with the current odds for a few of the horses to watch in Saturday’s race.

The Favorites

Ice Box         3-1

Trained by Nick Zito and ridden by Jose Lezcano. This horse may have had a chance to win the Kentucky Derby if it was as long as this race as he closed strong to take second, 2 ½ lengths behind the winner; Super Saver. Prior to that race he won the grade II Florida Derby back in March. His finishing speed will once again be a major asset in this race.

First Dude    7-2

Trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Ramon Dominguez. This horse was not in the Derby field but set the pace for the Preakness leading all the way to the finish before giving up ground to Lookin at Lucky to finish second by just ¾’s of a length. This horse does very well over long distances and is perfectly suited for a race like this.

The Contenders

Uptowncharlybrown    10-1

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Rajiv Maragh. While this horse did not run in either of the first two Triple Crown races he has had a couple of strong outings in some other big races including third place finishes in the Sam F. Austin and Lexington Stakes.

Game On Dude    10-1

Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Martin Garcia. While he did not have enough graded stakes earnings to make it into the field at the Derby, he went on to win the grade III Lone Star Derby on May 8^th to qualify for this one. Earlier this year he finished seventh in the grade I Florida Derby and fifth in the grade III Derby Trial.

The Longshots

Interactif     12-1

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Javier Castellano. This horse has been groomed for this race as he has spent the last four weeks training at Belmont Park. While he qualified for the Kentucky Derby, Pletcher felt he was better suited for the 1 ½ mile distance of this race. Earlier this year he finished second in the San Felipe Stakes and was fourth in the grade I Blue Grass Stakes.

Stately Victor   15-1

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Alan Garcia. Earlier this season this horse was an afterthought for the Triple Crown races after finishing off the board in four straight races. With Garcia as his new jockey he went off as a 40-1 longshot to win the Blue Grass Stakes, earning a spot in the Kentucky Derby. He finshed eighth in that race but should do much better in a smaller field.

This one should come down to a battle between Ice Box and First Dude as these are the two strongest horses in the field. I like Interactif to figure in the mix somehow, but he will not have the stamina to win. Look for Ice Box to WIN, Interactif to PLACE, and First Dude to SHOW.

Post time approx. 6:30 PM EST
TV: ABC, beginning at 5 PM EST

With Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness winner Lookin’ at Lucky being no-shows for this Saturday’s 142^nd running of the Belmont Stakes race, the absence of a heavy favorite makes for some tempting wagering.

Post-position draws will be held on Wednesday, but unlike the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, it won’t matter as much in this 1½-mile marathon, as horses and jockeys will have plenty of time to make up for early traffic issues on Belmont’s endless backstretch.

The field of 12 is set and the race’s biggest names are Derby runner-up, Ice Box, along with Preakness second place finisher First Dude, and the winner of the Dwyer Stakes, Fly Down.

Who will go the distance?

With the Belmont being such a long race, horses who take the lead early and settle into a pace tend to prosper more than closers who make last second charges from deep in the pack. This could make First Dude a favorite because of his front-running style. In January, in a one-mile maiden race at Gulfstream Park, Dude pressed a solid pace and drew off to win by 2 3/4 lengths. In his next race, a 1 1/8-mile allowance race, he put away the odds-on favorite Colizeo, but couldn’t hold off the late run from Fly Down, the same horse that beat First Dude in a maiden race last Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. Dude was also beaten by Ice Box in the Florida Derby, and has only won one race in his career.

Fly Down – a hometown favorite, from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer and Belmont based Nick Zito — is the only contender who has raced twice at Belmont, winning the Dwyer on May 8 and finishing third in his racing debut last year. Unlike stablemate Ice Box, Fly Down has plenty of positional speed, which will only be a factor if he can keep pace with the front-runners in the stretch.

Ice Box will probably be favored in the morning line. He looked great at the Kentucky Derby, but the favorites there had to contend with a sloppy surface, with some handicappers playing down the legitimacy of his strong second place finish. Still this colt seems to be getting better on each and every time out.

Meanwhile, of the other nine contenders, Make Music for Me who ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby, and Stately Victor who was eighth, are the only other two horses that have competed in multiple 2010 Triple Crown legs, making the remaining seven Triple Crown first-timers.

The Belmont is a wide-open race, with all sorts of ways to win–or lose. Because of its unique demand on horse and rider, it always delivers some exciting racing and surprising finishes.

My trifecta pick for this Saturday’s race: Ice Box, Fly Down and First Dude.

Super Saver and jockey Calvin Borel will try to take the next step to becoming racing’s first Triple Crown winner since 1978 when they team up for the 135^th running of the Preakness Stakes at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore this Saturday afternoon.

Borel piloted the three-year old bay colt to a win at Churchill Downs on May 1^st, and will try and win the second leg of the famed Triple Crown before heading to the daunting Belmont Stakes to claim the coveted title that only 11 horses have managed since 1919.

But first he will have to get by a field of 11 other horses — two short of the maximum — chasing a $1 million purse around the 1-3/16 mile course.

The 2010 field won’t include Derby contenders Nobel’s Promise or Ice Box whose trainers have chosen to skip the race at Pimlico and head straight to Belmont, but will include three Derby favorites that are listed at single digit betting odds.

Super Saver 5-2 / 8^th position: Super Saver, who splashed his way to a two-and-a-half length victory in the 20-horse field on a sloppy track at Churchill, figures to run much closer to the pace than he did in the Kentucky Derby. Because the son of Maria’s Mon has the speed to go to the lead and the mind to sit back off a fast pace, he will be doubly dangerous this Saturday especially with three time Derby winner Calvin Borel on board.

Lookin At Lucky 4-1 / 7^th position: The three-year-old colt finished a disappointing sixth in the Derby earlier this month and trainer Bob Baffert has opted to replace regular rider Garrett Gomez with Martin Garcia for the Preakness. Garcia has familiarity with the horse from working Lucky in Southern California. Baffert and Garcia have emerged as a potent combination during the past year, teaming up for 51 wins from 212 mounts. So this should be a solid move.

Paddy O’Prado 3-1 / 10^th position: Paddy O’Prado has won one grade-three race on the turf, but has become one to look at after coming from mid-pack to threaten Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver in the stretch, only to be nipped at the wire by a late-running Ice Box for second. This horse has the goods to spoil this year’s fun. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the Dale Romans trainee neck and neck at the wire.

The rest of the field is as follows (post positions and odds): 1. Aikenite, 20-1, 2. Schoolyard Dreams, 15-1, 3. Pleasant Prince, 20-1, 4. Northern Giant, 30-1, 5. Yawanna Twist, 30-1, 6. Jackson Bend, 12-1, 9. Caracortado, 10-1, 11. First Dude, 20-1, 12. Dublin, 10-1.

* All starters will carry 126 pounds.

My pick is Super Saver. This horse is peaking at the right time and with Borel–who rode the Preakness Stakes first filly winner Rachel Alexandra to victory in 2009 — in the irons. I say that Super Saver has a super chance of winning this year’s Preakness Stakes.