Horse Pick Of The Day - June 27th, 2008 - Gambling on Horses

[Shame About Ray]

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along with coverage of major stakes races, longshots, and he will keep you up to date on what is happening on the circuits he covers.

It has not been a pretty week for the horse racing betting industry. Drug positives by top trainers Richard Dutrow, Steve Asmussen, and Larry Jones made the news. Jockey Jeremy Rose was suspended for six months for abusing a horse he rode with his whip.

Hopefully it is back to the races on Saturday. There is plenty of stakes action from coast to coast.

At Hollywood Park on Saturday, there is an eleven race card with four stakes on the menu.

The highlight of the day is the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1). The race drew a field of ten older horses that will go 1 ¼ miles.

Heatseeker is the 123 pound highlight in the race and the likely favorite. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and ridden on Saturday by Rafael Bejarano, the five year old is coming off a impressive win in the Californian Stakes (G2) at Hollywood Park on May 31.

He turned the tables on Tiago, who got the best of him two back in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). Tiago, who comes into the race with four straight triple digit Beyers, will again be ridden by Mike Smith.

The field also included Pimlico Special (G1) winner Student Council and multiple stakes winners Go Between, Big Booster, and McCann’s Mohave.

The stakes action kicks off in the fourth race where a field of eight two year old fillies will go to the post in the $100,000 Landaluce Stakes. The fifth race is the $250,000 American Invitational Handicap (G2), which also drew a field of eight.

The race preceding the Gold Cup is the $150,000 A Gleam Invitational Handicap (G2). A field of eleven fillies and mares will go seven furlongs.

Belmont Park offers a pair of Grade 1 stakes on Saturday.

The $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes (G1) drew just a field of four three year old fillies. Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Proud Spell will go off as the favorite.

The Larry Jones trainee has won 5 of 8 career starts with earnings of $1,290,110. The filly will be ridden by Gabriel Saez, who has been on board for all of her starts.

She will face recent first level allowance winners Hamsa and Music Note, and Never Retreat, who was third in the Susans Girls Stakes in her most recent start on June 14 at Delaware Park.

The $400,000 Suburban Handicap (G1) is a more attractive betting race, drawing a field of eight runners in the handicap division.

A.P. Arrow is the class of the field, which does not include a Grade 1 winner. The Todd Pletcher trainee is a Grade 2 winner, taking the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs last fall.

In his most recent start he was fourth in the Dubai World Cup (G1), 8 ¾ lengths behind the winner Curlin.

The six year old has tried Grade 1 company six times but this may be the easiest field he has faced and his best opportunity to break through.

Among his main foes on Saturday will be Solar Flare, who beat Alw-3 optional claimers in his U.S. debut after shipping in from Argentina, and Merchant Marine, the recent winner of the $75,000 Yankee Victor.

Also on the Belmont card is the $75,000 Elmont Stakes, which goes off as the third race. A field of eight New York breds will go one mile on turf.

I Lost My Choo, who most recently was third in the Sands Point Stakes (G2) will appreciate the switch to state breds. She is trained by Phil Serpe and will be ridden by Edgar Prado.

The feature at Churchill Downs is a good betting race. The $100,000 Debutante Stakes (G3) drew a field of ten two year old fillies.

Nine of the fillies are coming off maiden wins. The lone exception is the 5/2 morning line favorite Garden District, who was second last out in the Kentucky Stakes (G3) on May 1 in her first start after breaking her maiden in her debut.

Let’s hope we can get through the weekend with the focus being on racing and betting instead of the ugly side of the sport.