2022 Top Stakes to Bet On: Five Graded Races at Belmont Highlights Weekend Action

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This Saturday, the top stakes races happen at Belmont Park. Belmont recently opened their spring meet. On May 14, Big Sandy runs 5 graded races. Santa Anita has a single graded stakes race this weekend, the Grade 3 Santa Barbara. Check out more info on the five graded stakes at Belmont and the Santa Barbara at Santa Anita Park.

Also, check out top plays and Horse Racing Odds for the Top Stakes Races of the Week from Friday, May. 14th. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.

Horse Racing Odds & Picks May 14th Edition

Top Stakes Races of the Week

When: Saturday, May 14

Belmont Park

Grade 3 Runhappy Stakes – 6 furlongs dirt – 4-year-olds & up

Seven runners, all with a shot, should line up to contest the 6 furlongs in this year’s Runhappy Stakes. It will be difficult to separate the seven. More than likely, Steve Asmussen trained Jaxon Traveler attracts the most action. But Answer In, Drafted, Repo Rocks, Wendell Fong, Officiating, and Chateau can all win.

Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap – 6 ½ furlongs dirt – 4-year-olds & up

Fourth-place Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint finisher Bella Sofia figures to offer underlay odds to take the Vagrancy. Sofia’s trainer, Rudy Rodriguez, does well at Belmont. Tiz Splendid News, Miss Brazil, Letmetakethiscall, Kept Waiting, and Assertive Style will also run. If you want to beat the chalk, make sure to handicap every filly and mare in the race. It’s difficult to separate any of the other Vagrancy contenders.

Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes – 1 1/16 miles turf – 4-year-olds & up

So far, seven horses have confirmed for the Grade 3 Beaugay. Like in most races over Belmont’s turf, a Chad Brown runner, Rougir, figures to go off the favorite. Runaway Rumor, Flash Drive, and High Opinion will have chances to upset Rougir. Brown also plans on entering Lemista, which finished third in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes in her last. Lemista hasn’t raced since last August. So if you like her, you should get decent odds.

Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes – 1 1/8 miles dirt – 3-year-olds

The top prep for the Belmont Stakes happens on Saturday. The top contender in the race figures to be Golden Glider, which finished fourth behind Zandon, Smile Happy, and Emmanuel in the Blue Grass Stakes in his last. Mark Casse trains Glider. So we should expect improvement. Others planning on running include We The People, Cooke Creek, Western River, Electability, Set Sail, State Planning, and Writeitontheice.

Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes – 1 ½ miles turf – 4-year-olds & up

Grade 2 Pan American winner Gufo could end up offering chalk odds in the Grade 1 Man O’War. Yibir should battle Gufo for favoritism. If the two do end up in a duel to see which horse attracts the most money, Subconscious, Cross Border, Abaan, So High and Shamrocket could end up going off at overlay odds. All five of the under the radar runners have the talent to win the Man O’ War.

Santa Anita Park

Grade 2 Santa Barbara Stakes – 1 ½ miles turf – 3-year-old fillies & mares

Santa Anita’s top race this weekend pits fillies and mares in the Grade 2 Santa Barbara over the turf. Favoritism should fall to Neige Blanche from the Leonard Powell barn, or Mike McCarthy trained Queen Goddess. Turnesol, Carpe Vinum, Excelerina, Queen Ofthe Temple, and New Heat should also enter he starting gate.

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