Horseplayers Should Bet on Stakes Races at Woodbine

Horseplayers should bet on stakes races at Woodbine on Saturday, Sept. 18th.

Woodbine Racecourse puts on its biggest weekend of stakes action on Sept. 18th and Sept. 19th. The terrific racing action culminates in the 1 million dollar Woodbine Mile, a key prep for the BC Mile, on Sunday.

Before Woodbine runs the Mile on Sunday, a couple of great stakes races will be run on Saturday. Let’s take a look at both of those stakes races right now.

Woodbine Racecourse – September 18th
Where: Ontario, Canada
When: September 18th, 2010
TV: TVG

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Race 6
Time: 3:32 pm EST

Natalma Stakes (Grade III)

Purse $200,000. (Plus $50,000 – State Bred). For Two-Year-Old Fillies.

1 mile over turf

It’s always a good idea to bet on stakes races where a few of the contestants figure to offer overlaid betting value. The Natalma Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday is one of those races. 7/5 morning line chalk Roxy Gap is undefeated and looks tough to beat, but my money is going on 9/2 morning like odds Sheba’s Secret. Although Roxy Gap beat Sheba’s Secret by 4 ¾ lengths the last time the two faced each other, Sheba’s Secret figures to improve in this race with blinkers added. Not only that, but trainer Roger Attfield practically owns the turf up at Woodbine and Sheba’s Secret can stay close or come from out of it based on the pace scenario. She’s the pick. Roxy Gap is going to be tough to beat in this. Undefeated two-year-olds are hard to come by. They’re especially hard to come by if they have the ability to win anywhere form 5 furlongs to 1 mile. Roxy Gap has won her 3 lifetime races by a combined 13 ¾ lengths. More Than Real, the Bobby Flay and Todd Pletcher owned gal sired by More Than Ready, figures to go off at very low betting odds in this. She might be worth the low odds, though, because she’s definitely well meant considering that jockey Garrett Gomez travels from Belmont Park to take the call. She can track the speed before unleashing her powerful late kick. My hope is that by the time she unleashes that kick, Sheba’s Secret will be too far ahead of her for it to matter or that she won’t see Sheba’s Secret running past her before it’s too late.

1. Sheba’s Secret
2. Roxy Gap
3. More Than Real

Race 9
Time: 5:09 pm EST

Summer Stakes Presented by TVG (Grade III)

Purse $250,000. (Plus $50,000 – State Bred). For Two-Year-Olds.

1 mile over turf

Although both Pluck and Stormy Rush have credentials to win this, the best horse to back in the racebook is the George Weaver trained Forum. The son of Roman Ruler is going into this off of a maiden victory but, man, what a maiden victory it was! The speed rating that Forum garnered in that race is above the par for the level meaning that, if you believe in speed ratings, Forum is the fastest horse in this race. The fact that he might go off no better than the third choice in this is an added benefit. There’s a good chance that Stormy Rush, because he comes out of sprint races and runs for that dude Attfield, might take the lead in the Summer Stakes and run off with the victory. The son of Stormy Atlantic is undefeated, having won his two lifetime races by a combined 7 ½ lengths, and might just be more talented than anybody else in this. Pluck definitely appears capable of firing a winning move in this race, but the More Than Ready colt is likely to be over bet in this spot because of its connections.

Trainer Todd Pletcher doesn’t often saddle them unless he believes he can win, however, and jockey Garrett Gomez automatically becomes the best jockey in Canada the minute his plane lands in Ontario.

1. Forum
2. Stormy Rush
3. Pluck

Good luck!

Bet on stakes races in the racebook!

Sources: brisnet.com, equibase.com