Betting the Futurity Stakes on a Budget
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Fans watch the action at Belmont Park. (Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing)
The six-furlong (three-quarters of a mile) Futurity Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park drew a field of six up-and-coming 2-year-olds, many of whom come into this race having already competed in stakes company.
While it’s a challenging task to make money with a solid favorite in a small field, we’ll try our best to come up with a winning strategy.
#2 Annual Report: The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee torched his competition in a debut victory at Parx Racing, winning by 5 ¼ lengths. He’s had a four-week break following his first start and his workout tab indicates he will be ready to fire. The main question will be how Annual Report can adjust to the Belmont main track, known as “Big Sandy.” McLaughlin 2-year-olds have gotten in the money (top three) in 58% of their starts, and this horse has the ability to improve that percentage.
#4 Ready Dancer: His distant eighth in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes — his first race on a sloppy track — is a black mark on an otherwise impressive track record. He shortens back to six furlongs after trying a mile unsuccessfully in his troubled trip in the Champagne. He showed a flash of brilliance at this distance when he broke is maiden at Saratoga Race Course, posting a 96 Equibase Speed Figure in the process. As the morning-line favorite, Ready Dancer should return to that form here.
#5 Manhattan Dan: This turf talent makes the leap to the outside oval in this race. He is the most likely pacesetter, and I’m willing to take flier on him. I think he has the speed to stay on top of any horse in this race. He, like Ready Dancer, tried a mile last time out unsuccessfully. At this stage of his career, he seems suited for the short races and this will be a good class test. Javier Castellano is in the irons, which is an added advantage over the field.
This strategy includes all three horses above and it will allow us to score with both the exacta and the trifecta, which will be the key to really making some coin in this limited, six-horse field.
Betting Strategy on a Budget:
$2 exacta box: 2,4,5 ($12)
50-cent trifecta: 2,4,5 with ALL with 2,4,5 ($12)
$200,000 Futurity StakesSaturday, Belmont Park, Race 3, 2:01 p.m. ET6 furlongs, dirt, 2-year-olds
PP
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Odds
1
King Kranz
Luis Saez
John P. Terranova II
Zayat Stables
4-1
2
Annual Report
Joe Bravo
Kiaran McLaughlin
Godolphin Racing
6-1
3
Legend Keeper
Cornelio Velasquez
David Jacobson
Paul P. Pompa Jr.
12-1
4
Ready Dancer
John Velazquez
Todd Pletcher
Let's Go Stable
2-1
5
Manhattan Dan
Javier Castellano
Gary Contessa
Platinum Seven, Dan Guarino Runner Runner Investments
5-1
6
Full Salute
Paco Lopez
Edward Plesa Jr.
Morris Bailey
5-2