The five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course kicks into gear Wednesday with the New York Showcase Day card and Grade 1 Beverly R. Steinman Handicap for jumpers.
Six flat stakes make up the Showcase Day portion of the card, each worth $200,000 and featuring interesting fields. There’s long and short, turf and dirt. A little bit for every taste. The jumpers go plenty long, 2 3/8 miles and over national fences.
Looking for some winners? The handicapping team from The Saratoga Special are back in action with picks for every day of the Festival, online Wednesday and in print when he publish papers Thursday to Sunday.
Last year’s inaugural Belmont Festival at Saratoga proved profitable for nearly all of our handicappers, with Tom Law leading the way with a positive return on investment of $51.70 for the 47 races run. Tom picked 17 winners, good for second overall and four behind usual leader John Shapazian. John also managed a positive ROI, finishing up $23.60 for the stand.
John Shapazian (17/47, +$23.60):
1-Awakened, Proven Innocent, Auction Kingdom.
2-Train The Trainer, Prince Valiant, Mo Plex.
3-Miss Im Plusive, Just Add Water, Bodegas.
4-Bank Frenzy, Drake’s Passage, Mama’s Gold.
5-Pay The Juice, The Paddock Pastor, Sounds Like A Plan.
6-Kay Cup, Accelerating, Charlotte’s Heart.
7-Hush Of A Storm, Itsallcomintogetha, Union Trail.
8-Sterling Silver, Landed, P Mutter Pickle.
9-Silver Skillet, Awesome Czech, Spinning Colors.
10-Sir Oscar, Coach Case, Spirit Of The Law.
Tom Law (17/47, +$51.70):
1-Awakened, Proven Innocent, Carloun.
2-Prince Valiant, Soontobeking, Train The Trainer.
3-Miss Im Pulsive, Willful Mama, Just Add Water.
4-Bank Frenzy, Locke And Key, Drake’s Passage.
5-Sounds Like A Plan, Pay The Juice, Leon Blue.
6-Bernieandtherose, Charlotte’s Heart, Crimson Queen.
7-Union Trail, Hush Of A Storm, Itsallcomintogetha.
8-Sterling Silver, Mutter Pickle, Bernietakescharge.
9-Whatlovelookslike, Awesome Czech, Silver Skillet.
10-Mission Hill, Sir Lawrence, Hello Newman.
Charles Bedard (11/47, +$42.70):
1-Carloun, Sultan Pierji, Evie’s Prince.
2-Mo Plex, Soontobeking, Prince Valiant.
3-Willful Mama, Miss Im Pulsive, Olivia’s Grace.
4-General Banker, Bank Frenzy, Locke And Key.
5-The Paddock Pastor, Pay The Juice, Toscano.
6-Charlotte’s Heart, Key Cup, Accelerating.
7-Bettrluckythangood, Itsallcomintogetha, Union Trail.
8-Landed, Sterling Silver, P Mutter Pickle.
9-Awesome Czech, Can’t Fool Me, Bobby M’s Girl.
10-Sir Oscar, Mission Hill, Spirit Of The Law.
Rob Whitlock (11/47, -$54.30):
1-Little Trilby, Awakened, Carloun.
2-Prince Valiant, Soontobeking, Smilensaycheese.
3-No Ordinary Love, Miss Im Pulsive, Willful Mama.
4-Drake’s Passage, Locke And Key, General Banker.
5-Pay The Juice, Courtly Banker, Leon Blue.
6-Bernieandtherose, Kay Cup, Charlotte’s Heart.
7-Itsallcomingtogetha, Union Trail, Bettrluckythangood.
8-Sterling Silver, P Mutter Pickle, Landed.
9-Whatlovelookslike, Brocknardini, Silver Skillet.
10-The Saint, Sir Oscar, Hello Newman.
Jessica Paquette (9/47, +$11.90):
1-Awakened, Evie’s Prince, Carloun.
2-Prince Valiant, Soontobeking, Mo Plex.
3-Bodegas, Miss Im Pulsive, Just Add Water.
4-Drake’s Passage, Bank Frenzy, Mama’s Gold.
5-Pay The Juice, Outsource, Huggy.
6-Accelerating, Charlotte’s Heart, Kay Cup.
7-Union Trail, Bettrluckythangood, Clear Conscience.
8-Landed, Sterling Silver, Amanda’s Folly.
9-Brocknardini, Spinning Colors, Silver Skillet.
10-Shakeitforthebird, The Saint, Sir Lawrence.
