Turf racing and 3-year-olds take center stage on this Memorial Day Weekend Sunday, as we have plays in three races, two on the East Coast and one out West, featuring sophomore grass runners. We expect firm turf in all three, so let’s go.
Monmouth Park, Race 5, 2:07 pm ET
$100,000 Jersey Derby, 1 mile, Turf, 3-Year-Olds
The Jersey Derby at the Jersey shore goes as Race 5 at Monmouth. It drew a field of seven. The pick is 1-High Front, who has run very fast in his last two races despite not winning either: he finished second and third in a couple of allowance races at Belmont Park. We think the slightly longer mile distance here will help him, as will the inside post, which should allow him to work out a good, ground-saving trip. We will bet him to win at 7/2. The bet: Monmouth Park, Race 5, $40 to win on 1-High Front.
Belmont Park, Race 8, 4:40 pm ET
$100,000 Paradise Creek Stakes, 7 furlongs, Turf, 3-Year-Olds
The Paradise Creek, which drew a field of seven, is a cracking good race, with a couple of European imports drastically improving the overall quality of the group. We are over the moon, in fact, at the chances of one of them: 7-Asymmetric ran quite impressively in some of the top juvenile races in Europe last season. He won a Group 2 at Goodwood last July, but the effort that really jumps off the page for us is his very strong third-place finish in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville in August. He finished that day just a length and three quarters behind a colt named Perfect Power, who was one of the top juveniles on the Continent last year, and who would be 1/100 if he were running in this race. We think Asymmetric simply outclasses this field, and that he will love the firm turf he will get at Belmont today, and that he is trained by Wesley Ward, who is good with Euro imports, seals the deal. Asymmetric is 5/2 on the morning line, but will be lower, perhaps much lower, by post time; we will bet him to win, and do so aggressively, anyway. The bet: Belmont Park, Race 8, $75 to win on 7-Asymmetric.
Santa Anita, Race 7, 7:15 pm ET
Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes, 1 ⅛ miles, Turf, 3-Year-Old Fillies
Seven go in the Honeymoon. We are not overly impressed with the credentials of the top choices on the morning line, so we are looking to a filly who is light on experience, but long on promise: It’s 2-Ballet Dancing, who has an exquisite pedigree (by Medaglia d’Oro, out of an Unbridled’s Song mare), which presumably was the reason she sold for a hefty $800,000 as a yearling. She raced once as a juvenile, not doing much, but we like the first race she ran as a 3-year-old, when she finished very strongly to win a maiden race at Santa Anita on May 7. We expect her to improve today, which makes her a major contender and which makes her 5-1 morning line number very attractive. We will bet her to win. The bet: Santa Anita, Race 7, $40 to win on 2-Ballet Dancing.
That’s all for today. Until tomorrow, enjoy the racing, be safe, and, as always, good luck at the windows.