Saturday horse racing Best Bets
We’re in the dog days of summer with the only Big Four sport is baseball, but horse racing runs year-round and Team Tuley continues to look for value at tracks from coast to coast.
This Saturday, we’re joined per usual by our regular contributors – Rampart race and sportsbook manager Duane Colucci and Ed Sehon – with plays at Belmont Park in New York, Gulfstream Park in Florida, Thistledown Racino in Ohio and Los Alamitos in California.
Good luck today (and every day!).
Belmont Race No. 5 (3:09 p.m. ET/12:09 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #3 King James (10-1 morning line). “In a race loaded with front-end speed, I’ll take gelded son of Nyquist to sit perfect trip and score at generous price.
Returning to grass following two off-the-turf Show finishes, look for ever-improving Katie Davis to get job done for low-profile Chad Summers barn. All hail the King — and Queen Katie. Wager: Bet him across the board, Win, Place and Show.”
Belmont Race No. 6 (3:41 p.m. ET/12:41 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #8 Breath Away (2-1 morning line) in the ungraded $150,000 Wild Applause Stakes. “Into every horseplayer’s game a little chalk must be bet — and this is such a case. After successful Winter at Gulfstream and strong second-place finish in Pimlico stakes, tip-top trainer Christophe Clement sends out late-running sophomore filly as morning-line choice in the Wild Applause. Breathe easy. Wager: Win.”
Los Alamitos Races Nos. 7-10 (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $54)
Race 1: 1,5
Race 2: 1,2,3
Race 3: 3,4,6
Race 4: 3,4,6
Race 5: 2,6
Belmont Races Nos. 7-10 (4:13 p.m. ET/1:13 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $81)
Race 7: ALL (1-6)
Race 8: 1,6,7
Race 9: 1,2,6
Race 10: 2,3,10
Duane Colucci likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $48)
Race 7: ALL (1-6)
Race 8: 7,8,9,10
Race 9: 2,6
Race 10: 8,13
Gulfstream Race No. 8 (4:26 p.m. ET/1:26 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #6 Lightning Tones (15-1 morning line) in the ungraded $75,000 Carry Back Stakes. “This is an easy-to-overlook minor stakes race, but we think we’ve found a live price play. Lightning Tones is the only consistent closer in a field of horses that all want the lead. We’re hoping they knock each other out dueling on the front end and Lightning Tones comes along in the stretch to pick up the pieces. Wager: Win and Place.”
Thistledown Race No. 11 (5:35 p.m. ET/2:35 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #3 Red Hot Lass (10-1 morning line) in the ungraded $250,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes. “This 5-year-old mare knows how to win (7-for-17 lifetime). If you throw out her last start in which she bobbled at the start and never fired as the 1-9 favorite, she fits right here as the speed of the speed from an inside post. We also like horses being overlooked after losing their last as the chalk. Trainer Jeffrey Skerrett hits with 18% of these and is also 2-for-7 (29%) when he gets the services of jockey Erik Barbaran. Wager: Win and Place.”
Belmont Race No. 10 (5:51 p.m. ET/2:51 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes three: #2 Pauciloquent (9-2 morning line) under veteran rider Junior Alvarado; #3 Dance With Me Babe (4-1) with top jock Irad Ortiz Jr.; and #10 April First (12-1) with future riding star Katie Davis. Wager: Exacta and Trifecta boxes.
Thistledown Race No. 12 (6:20 p.m. ET/3:20 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon’s PLAY OF THE DAY is #4 Two Phil’s (8-5 morning line) in the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby. “Promising sophomore returns following strong second in Kentucky Derby vs. much deeper field. Solid trainer Larry Rivelli names substitute rider Geraldo Corrales to replace injured Jareth Loveberry to begin the summer season on an upbeat note. Wager: Win.”