With the Breeders’ Cup five weeks away stakes racing takes on a heightened importance and this Saturday may offer the best slate of races and indicators for America’s main event.
Super Saturday at Belmont Park features five Grade 1 races and a Grade 2. A $500,000 Graded Stakes Pick Four is offered in races 7 – 10.
Post time for the 11-race extravaganza is 11:50 AM.
Not to be outdone, Santa Anita also has 11 races carded including five Grade 1s. The undefeated 3-year-old Shared Belief is entered in the $300,000 G1 Awesome Again at 1 1/8 miles. Racing begins at Santa Anita at 2:30 PM.
Jockey and Shakopee native Alex Canchari is now riding at Santa Anita. He has two mounts on opening day Friday and another on Saturday.
COUNTDOWN TO THE CUP
The free handicapping contest continues this Saturday with Belmont’s Super Saturday races. Arrive early and beware the traffic on the 169 Bloomington Ferry Bridge as lanes are being restriped this weekend.
Last Saturday Churchill served up a feast for chalk players with only two of the eight races returning winners that paid more than $10. Total available points were in the neighborhood of 1,500 so large total scores were elusive no matter how many winners one selected. Harry Blankemeyer put together 894 points, good enough to win the $250 weekly prize.
If you missed week 1 of the contest, there are four more opportunities to combine weekly scores and win the $1,000 grand prize. Remember that the lowest of the five scores is dropped from the total. So a missed week is a zero and everyone is still in the hunt.
Here is all the info and last week’s results.
PERFECT PICKS
Multiple entrants selected 10 pro football winners last Sunday and chopped the $3,000 prize pool. Available prize money is $1,000 this Sunday. Entries are due by noon. This year there are minimum play requirements in order to get the largest prize: $20 in horses or 20 minutes in poker of table games; all before 3 pm. You’re here to gamble right? And take a shot at free football pool cash? Then bet a bit to maximize your opportunity.
