Belmont Park drama is waiting to unfold at this meet and not only because there is a plethora of quality runners on the ground, but because of the riches that are to be attained. They whispered in ‘Field of Dreams’ that if you build they will come and Belmont has built a quality stakes schedule this meeting with a total of 42 stakes worth over 10 and a half million-dollars.
The 38-day meeting will run till October 30 and fans have something to really look forward to. There will be not one but 2 ‘Super Saturdays’ leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, which will be run at Santa Anita on November 4 and 5. October 1 will treat fans to some stellar events. The Grade 1 $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic will be renewed as will other Graded stakes. They are the $350,000 Vosburgh Invitational, and the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational.
The Hirsch, the Flower Bowl and the Vosburgh are all ‘win and you’re in’ events for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, the Filly and Mare Turf and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint respectively.
Belmont Park drama will also unfold a week later on October 8 when the $1 million Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational will be staged and the winner will get a fees-paid trip to the $6 Million Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Grade 1 Champagne and Grade 1 Frizette will also be offered. The Champagne winner gets a trip to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Frizette heroine will head next to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
So who are the possible players in these Belmont Park drama events? The Joe Hirsch, named for the longtime and well respected columnist for the Daily Racing Form, could be all about Flintshire. The Belmont Park drama will likely be over in a New York minute if Flintshire goes in the Hirsch as he is likely to do. This machine is unbeaten in 3 starts this year and he overcame a horrible trip in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer in his last race. For the record he is 8 for 22 in his career and has earned nearly $9 million.
The Vosburgh will likely attract a full and competitive field and Belmont Park drama is a cinch to materialize. One thing bettors may want to avoid in the Vosburgh is wagering on sophomores. Since 1986, only a trio of 3-year-olds have won the Vosburgh.
In the Flower Bowl Strike Charmer and Dacita will likely be among those trying to take down Lady Eli, who tasted defeat for the first time in her career in late August when she was caught wide and settled for second in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga.
She has already proven she can handle the Santa Anita turf course. Her best asset could be the fact that she can be placed anywhere and still fire. She has won from a stalking position and also from left field.
The classy Jockey Club Gold Cup figures to entice a stellar cast. Runners like Breaking Lucky, Comfort, Mubtaahij, Effinex and Shaman Ghost could all show up and battle. Shaman Ghost and Mubtaahij are fresh from running one/two in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes. Shaman Ghost also proved he likes to produce Belmont Park drama when he won the Brooklyn Invitational at Belmont in June.
The Champagne could very well come down and an East vs. West showdown. Practical Joke, the recent winner of the Hopeful Stakes, could represent the East while the Left Coast may be headed by Bob Baffert’s Big Gray Rocket, who is lightly-raced but talented.
The Frizette Stakes figures to be wide open but the feeling at this point is that speed will be prominent and very dangerous.
Bettors have to pay strict attention to these October events at Belmont. In 2014 Main Sequence won the Hirsch Invitational and then parlayed it to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Stephanie’s Kitten has also used these Belmont races in October as a springboard. She won the Flower Bowl Stakes in 2015 and then came from dead last to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with an eye-catching 103 Beyer Speed Figure.
