Football season is here, but there’s still time each day to sneak in some horse racing wagers, so Team Tuley continues to look for value at tracks from coast to coast.
This Saturday, our team has a ton of action as Ed Sehon starts us out with two plays from Belmont and the Late Pick 4, in which he’s joined by Rampart race & sportsbook manager Duance Colucci, who also has two spot plays at Belmont plus another at Woodbine. John Lauro checks in with two plays at Woodbine and then I also have plays at Belmont and Laurel before Sehon returns to close out our day with a late race at Churchill.
Programming note: For my sports picks this weekend, check out my new column titled “Tuley’s Takes Today,” which is free at VSiN.com.
Good luck today (and every day!).
SATURDAY
Belmont Race No. 3 (2:04 p.m. ET/11:04 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #4 Mezcal (6-1 morning line). “Todd Pletcher sends pricy ($625,000), improving daughter of Pioneerof the Nile out for chef extraordinaire owner Bobby Flay. Cut back to 1 1/16 miles suits running style. Needs clean trip under West Coast super-jock Flavien Prat. I’ll drink to that. Wager: Win & Place.”
Belmont Race No. 5 (3:06 p.m. ET/12:06 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes three fillies in maiden turf sprint. “#4 Carbon (6-1 morning line) makes second start for popular Linda Rice-Irad Ortiz Jr. combo. #5 No Time Alone (9-2) appears ready to fire for Wesley Ward. Johnny Velasquez hired. If #13 Cricket West (7-2) draws in off AE list, she’ll be big threat in stretch under Manny Franco. Wager: Exacta Box of 4,5 & 13.”
Belmont Races Nos. 8-11 (4:40 p.m. ET/1:40 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes $0.50 Pick 4 (cost $48)
Race 8: 1,3,9,10
Race 9: 2,3
Race 10: 2,4,8
Race 11: 3,4,6,10
Duane Colucci likes $0.50 Pick 4 (cost $90)
Race 8: 1,2,3,9,10
Race 9: 1,2,7
Race 10: 2,3,4,8
Race 11: 3,5,11
Belmont Race No. 8 (4:40 p.m. ET/1:40 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #2 Esotica (8-1 morning line). “I don’t like to try to apply human characteristics to horses, but I do believe sometimes they figure out how to win. This 3-year-old filly has that look after finally winning a race last time out under Irad Ortiz Jr., who is back on today. They should be the speed of the speed with a great shot at stealing this. Wager: Win & Place.”
Laurel Race No. 9 (4:54 p.m. ET/1:54 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #7 Tappin Cat (10-1 morning line) in the $100,000 Polynesian Stakes. “This 5-year-old gelding breaks from the outside post, but there’s only seven in this field and he shouldn’t have a problem grabbing and controlling the lead. Wager: Win (& Place only at 10-1 or higher).”
Belmont Race No. 9 (5:14 p.m. ET/2:14 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #2 Higher Truth (3-1 morning line) in the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes. “This Chad Brown filly has run well in the first two legs of this 3-year-old filly turf Triple Tiara, nearly defeating Con Lima. Jose Ortiz returns and she loves the Belmont course. Brown and Ortiz hit at 31% at Belmont with a $2.26 ROI. Bet 2 to Win and key 2 over 1,3 & 7 in exactas, trifectas and reverse.”
Woodbine Races No. 9-10 (5:35 p.m. ET/2:35 p.m. PT)
John Lauro likes #2 Walton Street (8-5 morning line) in Race 10, the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International Stakes, and the #7 Raging Bull (2-1 morning line) in Race 11, the Grade 1 RIcoh Woodbine Mile Stakes. “Lanfranco Dettori is in to ride these two Grade 1s at Woodbine. They’re my best bets on the weekend; strong Win bets. Also play 2-7 in the Daily Double.”
Belmont Race No. 10 (5:45 p.m. ET/2:45 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #1 Tango Tango Tango (12-1 morning line) in the $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes. “In this 1 1/2-mile marathon on the turf, most handicappers will be looking for a closer. However, speed often wins these and Tango Tango Tango can inherit the lead or sit just off the pace if someone else guns to the lead. Wager: Win & Place.”
Woodbine Race No. 10 (6:12 p.m. ET/3:12 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #4 Ride a Comet (5-1 morning line) in the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes. “This 6-year-old sports a perfect record over this turf course and has run very well vs. the top 2 American entrants. He also has solid workouts and trainer Mark Cassee and jockey Antonio Gallardo are smoking hot at Woodbine (24% with a $2.92 ROI). Bet 4 to Win and key 4 over 2,3,7 & 10 in exactas, trifectas and reverse.”
Belmont Race No. 11 (6:16 p.m. ET/3:16 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #11 Hoopla (8-1 morning line). “Hoopla had a monster maiden win at Saratoga and now moves to Bruce Brown’s barn off a claim. Note his workouts over the Belmont main track prior to his last race. This gelding gets the money at a price. Bet 11 to Win and key 11 over 3,5 & 10 in exacta, trifectas and reverse.”
Churchill Race No. 9 (10:11 p.m. ET/7:11 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #6 Stellar Tap (3-1 morning line) in the Grade 3, Iroquois Stakes. “Off his dynamite debut at Saratoga, 2-year-old is poised to take first graded stakes step down Kentucky Derby trail for winningest all-time trainer Steve Asmussen and go-to rider Ricardo Santana Jr. He’s bred to handle more distance. This tapper can dance. Wager: Win.”
Note: also check out our A.I. Pick of the Week at vsin.com/horses as we’ve gone 12-for-25 since taking over the feature for a still respectable ROI of $2.14 for every $2 wagered to Win. There are also more plays from 1ST/BET handicappers on that page at vsin.com/horses.
