Saturday, June 4, 2022

Saturday's Best Bets at Belmont Park and Churchill Downs

 The following horse racing preview and picks have been reposted below via permission from ScoresandStats.com.

Saturday’s horse racing card at both Belmont Park in New York and Churchill Downs in Kentucky is filled with a number of exciting betting events. From sprints on the turf to full runs on the dirt, the betting action at both of this popular race tracks should remain hot all day long.

Starting the day off at Belmont, the featured race is the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes. Open to three-year old Thoroughbreds, this race on turf covers 1 1/8 miles in total distance. The total prize money for this year’s event has been set at $200,000. Horse Racing Nation has seven horses listed as entered.

Moving to the top race of the day at Churchill, the Grade 3 Arlington Stakes is a 1 1/16 miles race on turf open to Thoroughbreds four and older. There is also $200,000 in total prize up for grabs among the six confirmed entries in this race.

Below are my top three picks to finish in the money for each of these major graded events.

Saturday, June 4

Pennine Ridge Stakes – Belmont Park

Win: Emmanuel

My top choice to win this race finished third in this year’s Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 9 behind Zandon and Smile Happy. He will break from the No. 6 post on Saturday with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. leading the way. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the son of More Than Ready appears to be the class of Saturday’s lineup. He placed fourth in this year’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream in another strong field of contenders.

Place: Unanimous Consent

Trained by Chad Brown, this three-year old colt bred in Great Britain looked sharp in his recent victory in the ungraded Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct on April 23. He will start this race from the outside No. 7 post with Manuel Franco as his jockey. Sired by Almanzor, he has won the first three races of his early career.

Show: Napoleonic War

My choice for third in this race is also trained by Chad Brown. He will break from the No. 5 post on Saturday with jockey Flavien Prat on board. The son of War Front caught my eye with his recent victory at Belmont in a 1 1/16 Allowance race on turf in early May. He has now won two of his first three events this year.

Arlington Stakes – Churchill Downs

Win: Admission Office

This seven-year old veteran has not raced since fading to sixth in last year’s Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream Park. However, with the highest Horse Racing Nation in Saturday’s field at 6.37, he would be my top choice to win in his 2022 debut. Trained by Brian Lynch, breaking from the No. 1 post with veteran jockey John Velazquez adds even more value to this pick.

Place: Field Pass

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., the No. 5 horse would be my second choice to win. Coming off a third-place finish in this year’s ungraded Henry S. Clark Stakes at Laurel Park, this Maryland-bred five-year old horse has a long track record of success on the turf. The son of Lemon Drop Kid has placed in the money in three of his last five events.

Show: Gray’s Fable

Also trained by Brian Lynch, this seven-year old gelding will break from the No. 6 post on Saturday with Julien Leparoux as his jockey. The son of Gio Ponti is coming off a recent victory on May 5 in the ungraded Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs. He covered the mile run on turf in 1:36.22.

 


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