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Derby Bill podcast: Handicapping the Belmont Stakes
Photo by Laurie Asseo.
Derby Bill Watson, the former on-air handicapper for Colonial Downs, turns his attention to Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, the final jewel in horse racing’s Triple Crown!
Check out Derby Bill’s in-depth analysis as he digs into the field. He has comments on all 13 runners entered in the big event — all delivered in the inimitable Derby Bill style — as well as thoughts on how the pace and flow of the race shape up.
If Derby Bill is right, he — and perhaps you? — stand to make a pile of money.
Check out what Derby Bill has to say!
MUSIC:
“First Call” and “Blue Ska”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Derby Bill’s Belmont Stakes analysis was informative and greatly helped me to narrow the field. His pick of LANI (#10) is gutsy but sound …… after a half mile; Lani made up 22 lengths in the Preakness on a Pimlico surface that was a nightmare for deep closers. Lani is by leading sire Tapit which is all the more reason he is on my trifecta ticket. I also like Derby Bill’s other notables; #4 Suddenbreakingnews (luv the switch to HOF Mike Smith), and #11 Exaggerator to crack the bottom of the Tri & Super (but agree with Derby’s “tired legs” comment likely preventing a Preakness repeat). However, I like Stradivari (#5) for my Belmont Stakes Winner. This guy has legitimate speed in a race pretty much devoid of speed. He is by the good sire Medaglia d’Oro noted for producing stamina in his offspring. Also, being trained by Pletcher and having the money rider Johhny V in the irons is a big plus. He is fresh (only his 3rd start of the year) and he ran a stellar race in the Preakness finishing 4th beaten 4. I believe they all have Stradivari to catch . My ticket has #5 Stradivari over the 4-10-11-13. Good luck
Thanks for weighing in, Jerry T. I’m kinda with you – think it’s a horse with some tactical speed like Stradivari or Destin that gets the money here.
It was the first time WinStar had sent a horse to Asmussen. WinStar’s CEO Elliot Walden explained, “[Creator]’s been a very high-strung horse in the beginning. I liked what Steve had done with some of the Tapits he’s had in the past, so that’s why we sent Creator to him. … I love his style. Credit to Elliot Walden for such forsight in order as the ALL GRAY 1200+ Trifecta Created smiles in get this the gamblers eyes after seeing fun Triple Crown in 2016 virtually unbetable for any value….On to the million dollar Virginia Derby ooops I said Belmont Derby July 9th as turf racing in America is gaining like a deep closing Asmussen Colt….Maybe Mr. Vespe can get Jerry T on a pod as a long time Maryland handicapper that remembers the Turf Internation at Laurel knows handicappers go nutz on grass!
Another terrific finish in the Belmont. When Destin opened up 1 1/2 lengths inside the 1/8 pole I thought it was over. But Creator & Irad Ortiz Jr had other ideas (another masterful ride by Ortiz just look at the replay). It could have been a four horse photo if not for some very tough traffic problems for Governor Malibu and a less than aggressive stretch ride by Yutaka Take’ on Lani (again look at the replay — and compare Ortiz urging Creator to Take’ on Lani). I’m not saying the order of finish would have changed but Lani would have been in the photo with a more aggressive stretch ride. As for my pick; Stradivari came up an 1/8th short finishing a tiring 5th…….so it goes in handicapping the ponies.