Weekend Stakes Races – Horse Picks from Belmont and Hollywood Park

In addition to the Grade I Belmont Stakes, New York will showcase a few other major races on Saturday. One of them, the Grade I Acorn, pits perhaps the only rival to Rachel Alexandra, Justwhistledixie, against a true up and comer.

On the other side of the coast, at Hollywood Park, Mike Smith, who rode Mine That Bird in the Preakness, climbs aboard Madeo for the Grade I Charles Wittingham.

Let’s take a look at both major stakes races.

Belmont Park – Race 9

Grade I Acorn Stakes

$300,000

For Fillies Three Years Old

Justwhistledixie will be a huge favorite, but I prefer Funny Moon. The Christophe Clement trained miss has the looks of a gal that’s really coming into her own as she tries Grade I company in only her fourth lifetime race. She should sit a perfect trip and then run past the speed. Justwhistledixie has won five in a row and could make it six, but her odds are going to be extremely low in this. Still, she finishes no worse than second. Livin’ Lovin’ has never finished worse than second in four lifetime races. Like Funny Move, she can press and then take over. She could be tough.

1. Funny Moon
2. Juswhistledixie
3. Livin’ Lovin

Hollywood Park – Race 9

Grade I Charles Wittingham Memorial

$300,000
For Three Year Olds and Upward

Trainer John Sadler is underrated and so is his horse in this race, Globetrotter, who should stay a length or two behind Midships before taking over and winning this race. Globetrotter is taking a major step up in class but the $150,000 buy out of Street Cry could be the next big turf horse out west. Midships has finally put it all together in his last two races after struggling first time in the states. He lost his first two races but in his last two he’s been brilliant. The chalk has a chance of going gate to wire in this. For third, the Neil Drysdale 8 year old, Artiste Royale, figures to put in another good run. Royale is 6-2-2 out of 16 races at this distance.

1. Globetrotter
2. Midships
3. Artiste Royale