Belmont Horse Racing Picks for Friday 5/28/21
It's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.
Starting at 1:00 p.m. EST, we have nine races at Belmont Park. Using numberFire’s projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.
As always, check for scratches and changes, and monitor the weather and track conditions.
(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions.)
Anna and Mia, Race 1
FanDuel Racing Odds: 3/1
The day begins with a Maiden Special Weight for baby two-year-old fillies sprinting 5 furlongs. The two primary favorites are Painters N Poets (6/5) and Kodama (2/1). Wesley Ward trains Painters N Poets with John Velazquez riding as well as Anna and Mia (3/1), who will have leading jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. up top. Ward has a meet-best 42% win rate. All three are first time runners and numberFire's algorithm projects the order of finish as Painters N Poet to win followed Anna and Mia and Kodama.
Royal Suspect and Bad Buy, Race 5
FanDuel Racing Odds: 15/1 and 7/2
Race 5 is an Allowance race for state-breds going 7-furlongs on the turf. numberFire's models project Danfusi (5/2) to finish runner-up behind winner Bad Buy (7/2). Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides Danfusi for EPO trainer Brad Cox, and he makes his 2021 debut after finishing third to close the year in a sprint.
Bad Buy should run better just to Danfusi’s inside with a jockey change to strong stretch-rider Joel Rosario handling Bad Guy for EPO trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Bad Guy’s form has improved and he’s run well in his last two races since April, including a hard-closing second and a 97 speed figure.
Royal Suspect (15/1) has value and a chance to hit the board or surprise, despite FanDuel Racing's implied odds of winning at 10%. He’s only made a few turf starts early in his career, but is by top turf sire Animal Kingdom. This race could get moved to the dirt with rain coming, and Royal Suspect won a pair of races on the dirt this year and has hit the board 4-of-5 times in 2021.
Classic Colors and Caldee, Race 8
FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/1 and 6/1
Race 8 is a state-bred Allowance race for three-year-old fillies going 1-mile on the turf. Rain is scheduled to hit the track near mid-afternoon, so monitor the weather and track conditions, and whether the race is removed from the turf. Trainer Chad Brown sends out a pair of recent maiden winners in Nevisian Sunshine (3/1) and Amortization (5/1). numberFire's data projects Caldee (6/1) to pull off the upset and win.
Caldee is well-bred daughter of More Than Ready, and Horse Racing Radar notes she posted her career-best speed figure (87) last month off a five-month layoff to finish fourth after running on the lead for nearly 1-mile. She placed in a stakes race last October over this track.
Trainer Christophe Clement also sends out a pair of runners in Magisterium (8/1) and Classic Colors (4/1), who breaks from the outside 11 post with Jose Ortiz riding. Classic Colors should get some pace to close into from her inside, as she did when winning her three-year-old debut last race against state-breds. It's a tougher field with winners this time, but she’s improving and can hit the board with a chance to win in the right pace scenario.
