Up and coming three-year-olds will take center stage in the $200,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday. The Grade 3 contest is run at a mile and a sixteenth and serves as a key prep for the sophomore stakes at Saratoga later in the summer.
The morning line favorite at 8-5 is Tiz Dark, a lightly-raced son of Tiznow for trainer Todd Pletcher. The bay colt will have John Velazquez in the irons and will carry the colors of Starlite Stables. Out of a half sister to the brilliant Cross Traffic, the promising colt broke his maiden in his second career start by 6 3/4 lengths and will try winners for the first time.
Second choice at 2-1 is Kid Cruz, a three-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid who rebounded off of a dismal performance in the Preakness Stakes with an impressive score in the Easy Goer Stakes on the Belmont Stakes Day undercard. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be back aboard for trainer Linda Rice and the pair will break on the rail.
Also in the field of six is the undefeated Captain Serious, tabbed at 7-2 on the morning line. Trained by Michael Hushion and ridden by Jose Ortiz in all three starts, the New York-bred son of Successful Appeal earned the first stakes win of his career in the Mike Lee Stakes las time out against restricted state-bred competition. The Dwyer will be his first start around two turns and first try against open company.
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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