Weekend Stakes Races – Full Slate of Free Picks

Weekend Stakes Races: Grade II Bed o’ Roses Handicap at Aqueduct and Grade II Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland

Race-times: Bed o’ Roses at 4:50 pm est. and Lexington Stakes at 5:40 pm est.

The Kentucky Derby is on May 2nd, 2009. It’s only two weeks away which is why it is so important for horses trying the Grade II Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland this Saturday to run well. It’s the last chance for horses to get enough graded earnings to make the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby.

Besides the Coolmore Lexington Stakes, BetOnline online racebook fans get a chance to bet on the Grade II Bed o’ Roses at Aqueduct this Saturday.

Both races comprise this weekend’s top stakes races.

Aqueduct – Race 9

Grade II Bed o’ Roses Handicap

$150,000

For Fillies Three Years Old and Up

7 furlongs on dirt

Seattle Smooth runs of a layoff for trainer Anthony Dutrow, gets top jockey Ramon Dominguez to take the call, and goes form 1 1/16th miles to this 7 furlong race. The $340,000 buy sure looks like she’s the class of the filed and she might hold her odds as there will be a lot of horseplayers trying to beat her figuring she wants to go longer. Awesome I Am has a good chance of hanging behind the speed and then making a nice run to the wire. Because there are others faster than her in this, I expect her to be in the garden spot throughout. Distorted Passion is in excellent form but will have to contend with Lovely Isle as soon as the gates open. She should dispatch of that one, but after that holding off both Awesome I Am and Seattle Smooth could prove difficult to do.

1. Seattle Smooth

2. Awesome I Am

3. Lovely Isle

Keeneland – Race 9

Grade II Coolmore Lexington Stakes

$300,000

For Three Year Olds

1 1/16th miles on Polytrack

If you throw out Brave Victory’s Swale try, where he was just run into the ground by Big Drama, he’s got the back class to really get it done in the Lexington Stakes. He’s a serious player at what should be pretty good odds and trainer Nick Zito knows how to get these three year olds good at the right time. I’m willing to take another chance on this guy. Omniscient is a strong play to finish in at least the top two for trainer Steve Asmussen. Curlin’s trainer has been quiet so far on the Derby Trail, but Omniscient is 2 and 1 out of 3 starts and has the ability to rate just enough to win this over the Polytrack. For third, I’m going with comebacker Square Eddie who might just be too good for these and has proven all weather form.

1. Brave Victory

2. Omniscient

3. Square Eddie