Mr. Ed’s Saratoga and Belmont Stakes Best Bets
SARATOGA BEST BETS: Welcome to the third (and very best) day of the four-day Belmont Racing Festival at Saratoga. Saturday’s 14-race card, highlighted by the third jewel in the Triple Crown — the G1 $2 million Belmont Stakes (for 3YOs going 1 ¼-mile) — as well as four other outstanding G1 contests, punctuate the outstanding card. Trust me, VSiN readers, there’s so much action — long races, short races, dirt races and turf races — more than enough to make an old horseplayer like Mr. Ed smile all day, win or lose. So, let’s get down to the business of handicapping. Race 1 kicks off at 10:45 a.m. ET/7:45 a.m. PT.
Mr. Ed’s Best Bets at Saratoga for Saturday
Race 8 (3:22 p.m. ET/12:22 p.m. PT) — G1 $500K WOODY STEVENS STAKES for 3YOs going 7 furlongs
Mr. Ed likes #1 BOOK’EM DANNO (9-2 morning line) for trainer Derek Ryan and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. Back in the U.S. following an excellent second in Saudi Derby, the gelding has never finished off the board, 6-4-2-0. Super works indicate thegelding is ready to fire from the inside post.
SARATOGA BEST BET: $10 Win & Place ($20)
Race 9 (4:08 p.m. ET/1:08 p.m. PT) — G1 $500K JAIPUR STAKES for 3YOs going 5 ½-furlongs on the turf.
Three’s a charm in this super-tough sprint: #2 ARZAK (9-2 morning line) for Trobetta barn and Jose Ortiz; #8 COGBURN (2-1), trained by Asumussen, ridden by Irad Ortiz, and #12 MISCHIEF MAGIC (8-1) for Charles Appleby and European rider William Buick.
SARATOGA BEST BET: $5 Exacta box of 2,8,12. ($30)
Races 9-12 (4:08 p.m. ET/1:08 p.m. PT)
MR. ED’S BEST BET: all G1 stakes $.50 Pick 4
R9: 2,8,12
R10: 2,6
R11: 1,5,6,7,9
R12: 1,8,9,10 ($60)
Race 10 (4:52 p.m. ET/1:52 p.m. PT) — G1 $1 MILLION METROPOLITAN HANDICAP for 3YOs & up going one mile
Mr. Ed will take a stand with #2 NATIONAL TREASURE (8-5 morning line) for the dynamic duo of Bob Baffert and Flavien Prat. Rested since returning from Saudi Arabia, appears ready fit as a fiddle for mile test. No need to hunt for this treasure.
MR. ED’s BEST BET OF DAY: $40 to Win. ($40)
Race 11 (5:36 p.m. ET/2:36 p.m. PT) — G1 $1 MILLION MANHATTAN STAKES for 4YOs & up at 1 3/16-mile on turf
Mr. Ed likes #5 PROGRAM TRADING (5-2 morning line) for the Chad Brown-Flavien Prat combo. Coming off a pair of G1 wins, the gelding is poised for maximum effort vs. a superior field of routers. Programmed for a hat trick.
SARATOGA BEST BET: $30 to Win. ($30)
Race 12 (6:41 p.m. ET/3:41 p.m. PT) — G1 $2 MILLION BELMONT STAKES for 3YOs at 1 ¼-mile
After spending hours mulling over PPs and talking with several respected fellow handicappers, the top pick keeps coming back to #9 SIERRA LEONE (9-5 morning line). On paper, the son of Gun Runner is the most consistent colt in a diverse field. Great trainer (Brown), top money jockey (Prat) and five weeks rest point to a major-league score. I’m willing to eat the chalk. Alone at the wire.
MR. ED’S BEST BELMONT STAKES BET: $20 to Win and $5 Exacta box of 1,9,10. ($50)
TOTAL WAGERS: $230
