Keeneland continues with their short pre Breeders’ Cup meet this week. The Lexington, Kentucky based track has a couple great stakes races this week. The real stakes action, though, happens at Big Sandy, Belmont Park, on Saturday, Oct. 10. Belmont runs four Grade 1 races on Saturday. Check out top plays and Horse Racing Odds for the Top Stakes Races of the Week for Wednesday, Oct. 7 – Saturday, Oct. 10. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.
Horse Racing Odds & Picks for Top Stakes Races of the Week
Top Stakes Races of the Week
- When: Wednesday, Oct. 7 – Saturday, Oct. 10
Wednesday, Oct. 7 Horse Race
Keeneland
- Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes – 1 1/16 miles turf – $150,000
2-year-old fillies hit the Keeneland lawn for the Jessamine Stakes on Wednesday. Brad Cox trained Aunt Pearl broke her maiden in fine fashion and figures to go off one of the chalks. So will the Mike Maker trained Gambling Cat, another last-out maiden winner.
Saturday, Oct. 10 Horse Races
Belmont Park
- Grade 1 Frizette Stakes – 1 mile dirt – $250,000
- Grade 1 Champagne Stakes – 1 mile dirt – $250,000
- Grade 1 Flower Bowl – 1 ¼ miles turf – $250,000
- Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup – 1 ¼ miles dirt – $250,000
Second-place in the Del Mar Debutante in her last, Forest Caraway figures to go off one of the favorites to win the Frizette on Saturday. Horseplayers must also pay attention to the Todd Pletcher trained Fifth Risk. The Outwork sired filly broke her maiden at first asking. Not only that, but Pletcher is fantastic with 2-year-old fillies.
In the Champagne, Steve Asmussen trained runners Midnight Bourbon and Jackie’s Warrior will attempt to beat one of the top 2-year-old colts in training, Reinvestment Risk. The Chad Brown, Klaravich Stables owned runner, finished second behind Jackie’s Warrior in the Grade 1 Hopeful. Jackie will go off the chalk, but Reinvestment Risk should be a co-favorite. The Brown runner can turn the tables on Asmussen’s charge.
Sistercharlie, Cambier Parc, and Civil Union are three of the top contenders in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl. The annual turf race at Belmont always produces one of the top contenders for the BC Filly & Mare Turf. Civil Union has won three in a row and could challenge Sistercharlie for favoritism on Saturday.
Tacitus could offer even money odds if he runs in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. What horse can beat the Bill Mott trained son of Tapit? Maybe, no horse. Todd Pletcher will run 3-year-old Happy Saver in the Jockey Gold Cup. Saver has improved race to race, but he must take a big step forward to beat Tacitus.
Keeneland Racecourse
- Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup – 1 1/8 miles turf – $500,000
Later this week we’ll get a better idea of what horses will go in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Last year, Cambier Parc won the race. She’s running in the Flower Bowl at Belmont on Oct. 10. Cayenne Pepper, One Voice, and Magic Attitude should enter the starting gate. They’ll be joined by at least one Aidan O’Brien runner from Ballydoyle in Ireland.
Have a great week!
