Horse Racing Picks for Saturday, May 9
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Ruffian Stakes, Belmont at the Big A, Race #7
The New York circuit really starts to spin up leading up to Belmont weekend at Saratoga with three graded stakes on Saturday. We will kick it off here with a price, #1 Cassiar, who returns from a freshening for trainer Shug McGaughey. She ran her best career race over this course at this distance and will get the step up today to repeat the effort. She will get pace to chase today and has won off the bench before.
#5 Inefficiency will try to join stablemate Always a Runner in winning a stakes race in her third career effort. She is two for two thus far with two impressive wins, and the added distance should not be an issue. She is live here.
#3 Eunomia is the favorite here based off the second-place finish in the Doubledogdare last time out. A repeat here would make her tough, but she has never run that race before, so I do not want to bet she will do it again as the favorite with other pace signed on.
#6 Irish Maxima is the speed of the speed here, so you have to know her early, but it will be tough for her to hang on late. However, if she does get loose, anything is possible.
Top 4: 1-5-3-6
The Bets: $50 Win #1
Maiden Special Weight, Belmont at the Big A, Race #11
Second time starter, #9 Ice House, ran well first time out while showing speed before backing up at a tough distance. Weaver switched over to turf here and cuts back a half furlong. Both should benefit Ice House, as should the second spin around the track.
#7 Gitole is an interesting price here. Saturday will be his first time out, and he is bred to win early with Mitole on the top and City Zip on the bottom. The workout three back shows there is some talent here as well. Let’s take a shot with this 12-1 price.
#5 Super Dave was the favorite last July at Saratoga before running about ten steps and quitting. Wesley Ward took a year before bringing this one back to the track, and there was clear buzz last summer, so there has to be some talent, and this is not the toughest spot. #1 High Leverage will cut back from longer distances and get the rail, which should both be benefits here. He has been working lights out in the AM as well.
Top 4: 9-7-5-1
The Bets : $50 Win #9
