On Saturday at Belmont Park, the featured race is the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. The winner will earn an automatic spot in the starting gate for the Breeders Cup Turf and the Grade 1, mile and a half event has drawn a field of seven colts and geldings.
Big Blue Kitten has been tabbed as the morning line favorite at odds of 2-1 in the competitive field and is one of three horses for trainer Chad Brown. A seven-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy bred and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the multiple graded stakes winner is the most accomplished horse in the field with thirteen career victories. He has two wins from four starts this year and was last seen finishing second in the Arlington Million (G1). Joe Bravo will be aboard from post three.
Second choice at morning line odds of 5-2 is Red Rifle for trainer Todd Pletcher. A five-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway, he is a seven-time winner and is a graded stakes winner on both turf and dirt. He was second last time out in the Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) and had back to back stakes wins before that race. Javier Castellano will be in the irons and they will break from the rail as he tries to improve off of his last race.
Also in the field at morning line odds of 7-2 is Slumber (GB), another of Chad Brown’s three contenders. A seven-year-old son of Cacique (GB), he is a five-time winner and notched his first graded stakes victory earlier in the year in the Manhattan Stakes (G1). He is trying to rebound after finishing eighth in the Arlington Million (G1) last time out and will break from post position five under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Saturday, January 29 at Gulfstream Park is one of the biggest races of the year: the Pegasus World Cup (G1)! This $3 million race, covering a mile and an eighth on the Gulfstream dirt track, drew a field of nine handicap horses. The eyes of the racing world will be on Gulfstream on Saturday, and you can bet it from the comfort of your own home here in Canada!
The Kentucky Derby trail makes its way to Oklahoma on Friday, December 17 for the Remington Springboard Mile! The race drew a field of nine up-and-coming two-year-olds to go a mile on the main track. The prizes are rich: a $400,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) for the first four horses across the wire.
The Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), California’s most important Kentucky Derby Prep in December, is coming up on Saturday, December 11! The race features the most promising two-year-olds in California, set to go a mile and a sixteenth over the dirt at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The race offers a purse of $300,000, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points, apportioned 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.
Let's have a look at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf betting picks and predictions.
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