Weekend Horse Racing – Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational

Padding Your Bankroll: Saturday October 3

It’s Super Saturday at Belmont Park today, with five Grade 1’s on the eleven race card. While a couple of the stakes came up short in quantity, there is no doubt there is plenty of quality on the card.

We will focus in on two of the better horse wagering races. The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1) drew a competitive field of nine runners looking to put in a final solid prep for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on Nov. 7.

There is a 60% chance of rain and we could see the turf course with some give to it. That won’t slow down the likely favorite Gio Ponti, who is seeking his fifth consecutive Grade 1 victory.

In the following race, Summer Bird will be trying to add the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) to his  lofty resume. The colt has already won the two most prestigious races in New York this year, the Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Travers Stakes (G1).

If he wins the Gold Cup, he would be the first runner to sweep the three race since Easy Goer accomplished the feat in 1989.

Let’s head out to Belmont Park today and pad our bankroll:

Belmont Park Race 9 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) Post time 5:09 ET)

#1 Gio Ponti   6/5

#5 Musketier   12/1

#8 Grand Couturier   5/2

#3 Al Khali   12/1

#1 Gio Ponti comes into this race with four straight Grade 1 victories, last out winning the Arlington Million over ground labeled as good. The runner up in the race was Just As Well, who came back to finish second in the Northern Dancer (G1) at Woodbine and was placed first via a disqualification. The only other runner to come out of the Arlington Million to run back so far is Einstein, who was beaten a neck in the Pacific Classic (G1).

The colt has done some of his best running at Belmont Park, winning four of five over the turf here including the Manhattan (G1) three back over yielding footing. There may be some give to the ground today as there is a chance of rain. The only real question mark is the distance as the son of Tale of the Cat has not been 1 ½ miles in his career.

The price also is not going to get the pulse racing, but the colt should get a good pace set up and has proven he can run on any type of ground.

#5 Musketier dueled early last out through sharp fractions in the Sword Dancer (G1) and had nothing left late, fading to finish ninth. The seven year old is better than that, checking in a good second behind our top pick two back in the Man O’ War and three back winning the Singspiel (G3) at Woodbine at today’s distance.

He gets a jock switch back to Edgar Prado, who was not as eager to take him to the front when he rode him in his first three starts after arriving in the U.S. If the turf comes up soft than #7 Presious Passion could be a scratch, which would leave this guy as the main early pace threat in here.

#8 Grand Couturier got back on track last out in the Bowling Green (G2), his first win of ’09. I thought he was primed for a big effort in the Sword Dancer (G1) two back and made him my top pick, but he failed to fire his best while catching a bit of traffic, checking in fifth. He is a four-time winner at the distance, and earned his career top speed fig winning this race last year over yielding turf.

Wagering

WIN: #1 to win at 7/5 or better.

EX: 1,5 / 1,3,5,8

TRI: 1,5 / 1,3,5,8 / 1,3,5,7,8

Belmont Park Race 10 Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1) Post time 5:43 ET

#7 Quality Road   5/2

#2 Macho Again   7/2

#3 Summer Bird   2/1

#6 Dry Martini   8/1

#7 Quality Road came off a four month layoff with a sharp win in the six furlong Amsterdam (G2) going 6 ½ furlongs and then came up short stretching out to 1 ¼ miles just 3 ½ weeks later. The colt tracked the early pace along the inside and did not have enough punch in the stretch, checking in third and beaten five lengths for the top spot by #3 Summer Bird.

The colt should be primed and ready for a top effort here in his third start off the bench.

#2 Macho Again let a girl beat him last out in the Woodward (G1), but that girl of course was named Rachel. The colt was about 15 lengths back and made a good late rally, coming up just a head short of pulling off the upset at 8/1.

This colt looks like he should relish the 1 ¼ miles and he has run well on wet tracks, including winning the New Orleans ‘Cap (G2) back in March over a sloppy surface at Fair Grounds. The colt will be rolling late but the question mark is where or not he sees enough pace in front of him here to set things up.

#3 Summer Bird was also beaten by Rachel, checking in six lengths behind the super filly in the Haskell (G1) two back. He bounced back by winning the Travers (G1) in a sharp effort in the slop, earning a career top in the effort. It is hard to find a knock on this guy except perhaps for a short price.

He has shown he is tactical enough to be in good position, sitting off an honest pace in his last two starts. He looks like the deserving favorite but I am hoping our top pick is ready for a career top effort and is a bit more value on the tote.

Good luck padding your bankroll today!