HANDICAPPING HEROES -- Belmont Stakes

The 148th Belmont Stakes runs today in New York...the final jewel in the Triple Crown. Our HANDICAPPING HEROES have looked at the races there...as well as the feature race at Churchill Downs today and have made some selections on races they like at both tracks.

You can hear the show at 11 a.m. this morning on WCHQ 100.9 FM and on the Internet at www.crescenthillradio.com
The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour is off today...scheduling conflicts with the Mighty Kindness Festival. 

SCOTT HARRIS has handicapped these races:

BELMONT THIRD RACE. GRADE II ACORN

Scott likes (5) Cathryn Sophia who returns to the track after winning the Kentucky Oaks. He'll also use (6) Go Maggie Go..winner of the Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico (4) Carina Mia who ran well in the Eight Belles at Churchill Downs  and (2) Off The Tracks winner of three out of four lifetime races

BELMONT SEVENTH RACE. GRADE II WOODY STEPHENS

(4) Justin Squared gets the nod from Scott, undefeated in three races , including the Chick Lang at Pimlico. His second choice is (7) Counterforce who was second in the Chick Lang. (11) Mrazek has finished no worse than second in six west coast races and (1) Sharp Azteca  has won three in a row, including the Pat Day Mile at Churchill

BELMONT EIGHTH RACE. GRADE I JUST A GAME

(7) MRS McDOUGAL comes in after a sharp closing score at Aqueduct and is Scott's top choice. (2) Recepta will be close with her closing style and could end up on top. (8) Celestine should set the early pace and they'll have to catch her. (1) Strike Charmer closed well to win the Grade II BeauGay last time out. 

BELMONT ELEVENTH RACE. GRADE I BELMONT STAKES

Scott gives us five horses to consider here. His top pick is (4) Suddenbreakingnews who closed well to get fifth in the Kentucky Derby. (11) Exaggerator did nothing wrong in the Preakness and will likely be the odds on favorite.  (2) Destin should improve after his disappointing Derby run. (13) Creator was another disappointment in the Derby but comes back and should like this distance. (3) Cherry Wine ran second in the Preakness and was clsoing well at the end.

CHURCHILL ELEVENTH. GRADE III MINT JULEP HANDICAP

Scott sees (5) Mizz Money (4) Cash Control and (6) Zipessa as the top three...but keep an eye on (2) Flying Tipat. 

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As far as Paulie's Picks...I'll toss four Belmont Races at you.

BELMONT 1ST

(2) CUPID
(3) RALLY CRY
(1) RACE ME HOME
(5) ECONOMIC MODEL

BELMONT 3RD

(6) GO MAGGIE GO
(5) CATHRYN SOPHIA
(3) PAOLA QUEEN
(1) FOREVER DARLING

BELMONT 8TH

(5) MY MISS SOPHIA
(3) TAPITRY
(1) STRIKE CHARMER 
(12) RAINHA DA BATERIA

BELMONT STAKES

(11) EXAGGERATOR
(5) STRADVARI
(4) SUDDENBREAKINGNEWS 
(13) CREATOR
(2) DESTIN

As for the Churchill feature:

(2) FLYING TIPAT
(5) MIZZ MONEY
(4) CASH CONTROL

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Archie Karel's picks round out our busy day of horse racing. Archie brings us his picks in three Belmont races and the feature at Churchill.

CHURCHILL DOWNS RACE 11 - GRADE III MINT JULEP HCP.

(4) Cash Control is one of the two here that Archie likes a lot. He also gives us (5) Mizz Money. Going deeper, (6) Zipessa and (2) Flying Tipat are getting a look from the Arch

BELMONT RACE 9 - THE METROPOLITAN 

(8) Ami's Flatter is Archie's top pick in this $1,250,000 Grade I affair. It could be a nice price on this one and Martin Garcia. He sees, in no particular order, (4) Noble Bird, (5) Frosted, (6) Upstart and (7) Stanford filling out the other spots. 

BELMONT RACE 10 - THE MANHATTAN

Archie looks for another price with (2) Slumber pulling the upset. (10) Flintshire will draw the bettors money as a favorite and should run well today. He's also working (5) Big Blue Kitten, (6) Ironicus and (11) Divisidero into his exotics and multiple race wagers. 

BELMONT RACE 11 -- THE BELMONT STAKES

(11) Exaggerator makes it two in a row in Archie's thought process. He expects (12) Brody's Cause to improve off the Derby effort. (13) Creator is another he sees firing off the layoff and (2) Destin rounds out his picks.

Good luck today! We'll be back tomorrow with the wrap-up.

paulie
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Mohayman electifies Churchill backside with work

DERBY THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS

Kentucky Derby contender Mohaymen set the barns at Churchill Downs abuzz with a 4 furlong work of 46 4/5 seconds on Tuesday...the best work at the distance of the day at the legendary oval off Central Avenue. 

Too fast so close to the Derby? Not necessarily...different trainers have different techniques when it comes to race preparation and workouts. 

Does it put this runner back into consideration after finishing a well-beaten fourth in the soggy Florida Derby?

There is merit in the theory that certain horses like certain tracks and conditions better than others. Mohaymen was undefeated going into the Florida Derby and matched against Nyquist...the second betting favorite who skipped over the slop to remain undefeated and basically left Mohaymen "tied to the rail" in the final two furlongs.

Interesting that Mo Tom, also a Derby contender, had the second bet work of Tuesday with a 47. 

A lot of Mo's being bandied about here. Add Mo Spirit and you could try a 'all-Mo' trifecta as a Derby hunch bet that would probably pay very handsomely. 

As for me...although the work was impressive, it changes nothing in my top five Derby horses on this 4/22 entry.

<><><><><> Paulie's Top Derby FIVE 4/22<><><><><>

1. Exaggerator
2. Nyquist
3. Brody's Cause
4. Creator
5. Suddenbreakingnews

paulie
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Some Early Derby Thoughts...

THREE WEEKS OUT AND THREE HORSES TO CONSIDER

The Kentucky Derby runs on Saturday, May 7th. That's about three weeks out from this writing on April 15th. I've been busy watching a lot of Derby prep races from all over the country and feel safe to say (unless CUPID destroys the field Saturday in massive fashion in the Arkansas Derby) that I have three horses that I'm looking at as the next Kentucky Derby winner currently. In order...

1) EXAGGERATOR

What this horse did in the Santa Anita Derby slop was simply amazing. Starting in the backstretch and circling the field. Pulling away in the homestretch as if (to quote the PA announcer's call that day) "the others were tied to the guardrail" . I can only imagine what he might do on a fast track where the hold and footing is better. And if it rains Derby Day...forget about it. He could win by 10 lengths. Kent Desmoureaux rides for his brother, another wise guy angle.  To say I'm excited about his chances is no.... exaggeration. 

2) NYQUIST

The big Bob Baffert runner destroyed the competition in the Florida Derby. The only knock on him is that because he is out of Uncle Mo, people are wondering if he can get 1 1/4 miles effectively. 

I think he can and will be leading this Derby until Exaggerator runs by him. In Nyquist's favor, he's beat Exaggerator three times already. That, of course, means nothing on Derby Day. 

3) BRODY'S CAUSE

You have to like the way he exploded down the short Keeneland Stretch to win going away. And he's very capable of exploding down the longer Churchill stretch on Derby Day. The question is...will it matter or be in time to run down Nyquist or keep up with Exaggerator's run. It is a horse to consider in the exotics. 

Things can change in three weeks. These top three might change also...but for now...they are the way I'm thinking. 

paulie
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