Betting the Belmont Oaks on a $20 Budget
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Much of the hype leading into the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes will focus on unbeaten Lady Eli, but American Oaks Stakes winner Spanish Queen figures to be very dangerous at a nice price on Saturday at Belmont Park. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
There is quite a lot at stake for the 14 fillies competing in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park. Not only does the 1 ¼-turf race boast a $1-million purse, the winner also receives an automatic starting spot in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland Race Course this fall.
The Belmont Oaks is an awesome race that drew a deep field, and this is horse racing so anything can happen.
#2 Lady Eli and her perfect 5-for-5 record, including her incredibly impressive Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf win, will be stretching out to 1 ¼ miles for the first time in her career with regular jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the race. She’s won two races at Belmont, including her most recent start in which there was no pace to set up her patented late acceleration and she was boxed in with no room till late. The undefeated, morning-line (and most likely post-time) favorite will face her biggest challenge yet, but with her incredibly fast turn of foot she’s got a solid shot of improving to 6-for-6. This is her race to lose but she will be a short price.
LADY ELI WINNING JUVENILE FILLY TURF
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
#6 Spanish Queen proved she could go the distance when she won her most recent race in the 1 ¼-mile, Grade 1 American Oaks Stakes at Santa Anita Park. She’s only a neck away from being undefeated – she was second by a neck (after going three wide) to Spirit of Xian in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at the beginning of April. Shipping east to face this field of talented fillies, she is in prime shape to win this million-dollar invitational. Her trainer, Richard Baltas, is having a great year with a positive ROI (return on investment) for every betting possibility. She’ll have to be at the top of her game to defeat this international field that also includes Lady Eli, but she’s got what it takes.
#8 Olorda is one of the two European shippers, who usually run their best race in their first U.S. start, competing in this field. She is coming into this race after facing top company at Longchamp in France. You don’t just ship across the Atlantic Ocean for kicks and giggles. After winning her first two races this year impressively, she finished third at today’s distance in her last race in a Group 1 race, which is comparable to our top-rated stakes. She’ll have Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez aboard for the mount and won’t be a surprise at big odds. Consider Olorda a must-use in exotics.
#11 Sentiero Italia is making her stakes debut and jumping up significantly in class for the Belmont Oaks, but trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is having a fantastic year and an outstanding spring Belmont meet. This Godolphin filly has won her last two impressively, the last time at Belmont, and might find herself in the mix late. I’ll be using her in exotics.
Vick’s Picks: #2 Lady Eli, #6 Spanish Queen, #8 Olorda and #11 Sentiero Italia
Strategy A — $20 win on #6 Spanish Queen
Strategy B — $10 exacta box: #2 Lady Eli, #6 Spanish Queen ($20)
Strategy C — $4 trifecta: #2 Lady Eli, #6 Spanish Queen with #2 Lady Eli, #6 Spanish Queen with #8 Olorda, #11 Sentiero Italia ($16)
$1-million Belmont Oaks Invitational StakesSaturday, Belmont Park, Race 10, 5:46 p.m. ET1 ¼ miles, turf, 3-year-old filliesTV: NBC 5-6 p.m. ET
PP
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
ML Odds
1
Pine Needles
Jose Ortiz
Christophe Clement
Jon and Sarah Kelly
20-1
2
Lady Eli
Irad Ortiz Jr.
Chad Brown
Sheep Pond Partners
2-1
3
Sharla Rae
Joel Rosario
Doug O'Neill
Brous Stable, Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable
30-1
4
Itsonlyactingdad
Christophe Soumillon
Todd Pletcher
Starlight Racing
20-1
5
Miss Chatelaine
Rajiv Maragh
Christophe Clement
Highland Yard
30-1
6
Spanish Queen
Brice Blanc
Richard Baltas
Jack Nakkashian
7-2
7
Consumer Credit
Junior Alvarado
Chad Brown
Brous Stable, Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable
12-1
8
Olorda (GER)
John Velazquez
Michael Figge
Martin S. Schwartz
8-1
9
Gypsy Judy
Cornelio Velasquez
Robin Graham
James Hibbert
30-1
10
Outstanding (IRE)
Colm O'Donoghue
Aidan O'Brien
Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith
6-1
11
Sentiero Italia
Luis Saez
Kiaran McLaughlin
Godolphin Racing
15-1
12
Daring Duchess
Jose Lezcano
Bill Mott
Bach Stables
20-1
13
Lady Zuzu
James Graham
D. Wayne Lukas
Three Chimneys Farm
20-1
14
Strict Compliance
Javier Castellano
Chad Brown
Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence
10-1