BetAmerica’s Best Bets of the Weekend for Sept. 19-20
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Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
America’s Best Racing and BetAmerica team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend in a regular feature blog that will run on Fridays.
Each week, one of our crack handicappers - Jose Contreras, Dan Tordjman, Victoria Garofalo, Mike Johnson or Vince Mathews – will provide at least one “Best Bet” of the weekend, ideal for a win bet. The post also will include some combination of additional bets for the weekend.
For some posts, our handicappers will try to identify a longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet.
Our handicappers also will look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or occasionally try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers.
Place your bets at BetAmerica, which prides itself on outstanding customer service combined with the safety and security of wagering with a reputable advance-deposit wagering platform. Place your bets and you can walk away with some extra cash in your pocket.
Saturday, Sept. 19
EXACTA BOX
Belmont Park, Race 8,– $200,000 Nobel Damsel Stakes, 4:46 p.m. ET
#7 Crowley’s Law: This will be this filly’s first time racing in the U.S., her first time on Lasix and hopefully her first time in the winner’s circle this year. She’s stakes-placed, is dropping 10-16 pounds off of her recent races and she’s well-traveled (England, Germany, even Turkey – yes, I’m a tad jealous). I’m thinking Saturday is the day for her!
#1 Coffee Clique: Perhaps she was lacking caffeine when she ran fifth in the Ballston Spa stakes at Saratoga last month, but this million dollar winner is back at her best distance and is the one to beat.
TRIFECTA BOX
Belmont Park, Race 9, 5:19 p.m. ET
This looks to be a great, open betting race! I would bet some exactas and trifectas with these three:
#1 Jay Gatsby: I swear I’m not picking this colt because he’s a gray on turf and named after a literary character (although both do play perfectly into things I love). The distance certainly won’t be an issue for this Euro shipper, he’s been the favorite in all of his starts and has never been off the board. He might be “The Great Gatsby” if he wins here. I’m hoping he comes right off the plane, off the layoff and ends up in the winner’s circle.
#11 Taghleeb: He may have failed as the favorite in his last four starts, but the distance suits him to a T. He’s hit the board in both of his starts at Belmont and a win is knocking at his stall door. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is having a great year and this colt may finally have his race and day.
#7 Belisarius is my “longshot” horse of the race. He got his first win on turf in his last start, but has a long history of consistently being on the board (11 out of 15 races) and is in capable hands with trainer Bill Mott.
Sunday, Sept. 20
BEST BET/WIN BET
Belmont Park, Race 5, 3:07 p.m. ET
#7 Queen’s Parade: It’s hard to look past a stakes-placed filly trained by Shug McGaughey, especially with jockey John Velazquez up. She’s a proven commodity at the distance with two wins and two places. Wait by the windows – I expect you’ll cash out some winning tickets on this duo.
TRIFECTA BOX
Belmont Park, Race 8, $125,000 John Hettinger Stakes, 4:46 p.m. ET
#8 Freudie Anne is a versatile filly. She’s a stakes winner on both the dirt and the turf, has a perfect 3-for-3 record on the grass (2-for-2 at Belmont) and knows how to run one way – crossing the wire first. She drops eightpounds off her last start and I expect her and jockey Jose Ortiz to be on the lead and see them going wire-to-wire.
#2 The Tea Cups is the logical winner based off of two of her last three starts. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart is having a great year and winning at 28 percent - you’ve got to keep The Tea Cups and jockey Luis Saez in the mix.
#1 Old Harbor is a grass specialist who’s best running has been at Belmont (all three of her wins were here). The biggest issue for me is the low winning percentages for trainer Russell Cash and jockey Elvis Trujillo, but they’re still worth a bet at a nice price.