Super Saturday 2013 @ Belmont Park!

The biggest racing day at Belmont Park is Super Saturday, a prelude of preps for the Breeder's Cup races on November 1st & 2nd. We have six graded stake races for both turf races going a distance of ground, the sprint and Breeder's Cup dirt mile and the Distaff & Classic. Even though this year's races are at Santa Anita Park, the east coast horses will play a vital role for the championship racing days.

The Beldame Invitational Stakes (5th) is at the Distaff distance of a mile & an eighth. It's a two horse showdown between the top three year old filly; Princess of Sylmar (#2) and the defending filly & mare champion; Royal Delta (#4). The big edge goes to the older of the two, Royal Delta on all fronts. She's been 1st or 2nd in 10 of her last 12 starts and has two wins & a second in three Belmont career starts. Princess of Sylmar could have raced last weekend at PARX in the Cotillion Stakes for straight three year old fillies. Here she faces older for the first time in her career and even tougher with Royal Delta in the field. My selections are: 4-2-6-5.

The Kelso Stakes (6th) is run at one mile and is a prep for the Breeder's Cup Dirt Mile. Formally ran on grass, horses who don't fit in the six furlong sprint or classic mile and a quarter distance fall in here. This marks the return of the Todd Pletcher trainee; Graydar (#2) who was last seen winning the New Orleans Handicap at the Fairgrounds on March 30th. After suffering a minor injury, he returns today at a distance he fits well at. But, I'm giving the edge to the Robert Lapenta entry of; Easter Gift & Jackson Bend (#1), with the Chad Brown runner showing two victories at a mile and his entry mate stretching out from sprint races. My selections are: 1-2-4.

The Vosburgh Stakes (7th) is the prep for the Breeder's Cup Sprint at the six furlong distance. Formally seven panels, this is now a turn back from the seven furlong Forego Stakes at Saratoga for older sprinters. A wide open event, I'm going with last year's winner of this event making his second start of a layoff and at a juicy 8-1 morning line odds; The Lumber Guy (#5) For second, I'll go to the far outside and California based shipper; Private Zone (#8) who is mighty quick and may lead them from the outside post. My selections: 5-8-2-1.

The first turf race is for filly & mares, the Flower Bowl Invitational (8th) at a mile and a quarter distance. These runners usually take turns beating each other and today should be no exception! With that said, my top selection is a runner who finally got her act together in her last start at Kentucky Downs, Mystical Star (#2). That victory was at a mile & five sixteenths in a field of 11 versus weaker competition though. Maybe that was the level she needed to get back on track. I'll use the entry for second; Tannery & Laughing (#1) with the filly facing boys in her last start finishing well and the mare on a three race win streak with last two coming wire to wire. My selections: 2-1-6.

The boys are next up in the Joe Hirsch Turf Invitational (9th) at the mile and half distance. There are seven betting interests with two entries and four grade I winners. But here I'm taking a shot with a runner who came off over a year layoff to win last time out at Saratoga . Slumber (#4) is now five years old and has a lot of gaps between starts. Trainer Bill Mott has thought enough of him to enter versus a tough group, so at the 6-1 morning line is worth a shot here! In the runner-up spot, the Ramsey entry of; Big Blue Kitten, Real Solution & Joe's Blazing Aaron (#2) look tough with the Sword Dancer & Arlington Million (placed first) winners. My selections: 4-2-1a-3.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup (10th) is the biggest prep race for the Breeder's Cup Classic in New York . Eight runners are assembled with six grade I winners. The battle comes down between the "old timer" Flat Out (#6) who has five victories at Belmont Park and is considered a "horse for the course"and the "new" face is Cross Traffic (#8) who came into his own last time out in the Whitney Handicap victory at the Spa. So guess what, I'm not selection either horse "on top". My top pick is the Kentucky Derby hero; Orb (#2) who faces older horses for the first time. In fact, my second selections isn't either the two horses I mention first. Palace Malice (#7) had a tough trip in the Travers Stakes and with a better getaway today, may set the perfect trip behind the speed entered here. My selections: 2-7-6-8.