BetAmerica’s Best Bets of the Weekend for Sept. 26-27
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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. 26
BEST BET/WIN BET
Belmont Park, Race 10, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes
#4 Twilight Eclipse: This veteran gelding is as honest as they come. He lost this race by a neck last year to eventual champion turf male Main Sequence. The third-place finish last out behind Flintshire and familiar rival Red Rifle is better than it looks on paper. He should be fully cranked for his second start off the layoff. While he’s only won once in seven tries at Belmont, his two best efforts (and highest Beyer Speed Figures) in the past two years were in this race last year and in the Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont back in May.
EXACTA BOX
Belmont Park, Race 11
#2 Request: This colt looked a little timid to split a gap in his most recent start and kind of stalled between horses when beaten a neck at Saratoga Race Course. He’s been right there in all five of his career starts at Belmont and missed by just a nose against a similar level of competition three races back.
#3 Macagone: I always forgive horses who don’t run well in races where they’ve been taken out of their game. Macaroni, a bona fide speedster, was asked to rate in his most recent start and didn’t respond well to it. He appears to be the fastest horse in the race this time and could lead from start to finish. He also has three wins on the turf at Belmont.
#7 Nexrad: This sneaky-looking horse ships in from Parx Racing off of a third-place finish at this level last out. The second-place finisher from that one came back to win. You get jockey Manny Franco, a very solid turf rider, aboard for the local debut.
#11 Team Colors: I flipped a coin between this one and #8 Grey Wizard, as peripheral win candidates and strong exacta possibilities. I sided with Team Colors because he appeared to take a big step forward in his second U.S. start. This is a deep field, though, and I wouldn’t want him at a short price in a race in which he’ll have to take back and isn’t very likely to get a favorable pace setup.
Sunday, Sept. 27
EXACTA BOX
Santa Anita Park, Race 3
#2 Prince Valiant: This colt broke his maiden two starts back while setting the pace through fast early fractions. It looks like he should be able to dictate the tempo from the break here, as well. He can be forgiven for the clunker in his most recent start, which was his first try against winners — much tougher than these — plus, he didn’t break well in that one. Looking for major improvement here.
#3 Pat the Bear: This horse seems to enjoy this surface and beat tougher at Santa Anita three races back. Not sure what happened in his most recent start when he flopped as the even-money favorite, but he figures to rebound here at short odds.
#6 Kenjiislucky: Major barn upgrade here as this one makes his first start for Robertino Diodoro (24%) off of a 2 ½-month freshening. He most likely will rate just off of the pace early, and I can see him getting involved late.
BEST BET/WIN BET
Santa Anita Park, Race 6, King Pellinore Stakes
#1 Ashleyluvssugar: This steady, 4-year-old gelding gets major class relief dropping into the $75,000 King Pellinore Stakes. This horse has run in all Grade 1 and Grade 2 races dating to March, and he has wins in the San Luis Rey and Charles Whittingham Stakes — both Grade 2 races at Santa Anita. Overall, he has three wins from five tries on this turf course and retains Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens for this one. This horse looks extremely tough.