Free Horse Racing Picks for September 15 and September 16 Stakes Races
Grass horses are all the rage this weekend as Belmont Park runs the Grade 3 Noble Damsel Stakes over the lawn and the Grade 1 Garden City on Saturday. Over at Woodbine, some of the top milers in the world battle in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile while Wigmore Hall returns to defend his championship title in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes on Sunday.
Let’s get to the best horse racing stakes action for this weekend!
Weekend Stakes Races
When: September 15
Belmont Park
Grade 1 Garden City
$300,000, 3 year olds and up
1 1/8 miles over turf
1-Karlovy Vary – The George Arnold trainee won the Grade 1 Ashland earlier this year and is back in training after suffering cuts in the Nani Rose. Arnold likes her chances to take home the Garden City and she might offer odds since Samitar should go off as the favorite.
2 – Samitar – The Group 1 1000 Irish Guineas winner will go off as the chalk. She could definitely win this after watching how she ran in the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes in her last, but my gut tells me that trainer Chad Brown is looking to use this race as a prep for the Breeders Cup. Still, she will be tough.
3-Tannery – The Dylan Thomas trainee won a Group 3 at the Curragh two races back and should be considered a live long shot. She might get more attention than she normally would because the Garden City could come up light in the talent department.
Grade 3 Noble Damsel
$150,000, 3 year olds
1 mile over turf
1 – Federation – The classy Todd Pletcher trainee finished fourth to Winter Memories in the Beaguay Stakes and then third to Zagora in the Grade 3 Hillsborough earlier this year. There aren’t any horses that have run against top competition like that in this event.
2 – Kya One – Kya One goes first time in the states for trainer Chad Brown who often times gets them ready right off of the plane. Kya One figures to garner a lot of attention, though, and might be too chalky for most horseplayers to put on top.
3 – La Cloche – La Cloche returns to a turf course where she’s had success finishing in the exacta and trifecta. She figures to be ignored at the windows making her a nice horse to use in all of the exotics.
Woodbine Racecourse
When: September 16
Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes
$500,000, 3 year olds and up
1 ½ miles over turf
1 – Musketier – The old 10 year old pro is in fine form having won the Singspiel stakes over this turf course two races ago and then finishing second in the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes in his last. Musketier is still good enough to get it done in a Grade 1 contest.
2 – Wigmore Hall – The defending champ has every right to add another Northern Dancer Turf Stakes trophy to his mantle. Hall is easily the classiest horse in the race, he’s been running against the best competition, but the odds figure to be underlaid on him and Musketier is one tough hombre.
3 – Al Khali – He looked great in his last, but Al Khali rarely puts together a string of terrific races. A reversion to his usual run up and take third form might be in the cards for this consistently in the money horse.
Grade 1 Woodbine Mile
$1,000,000, 3 year olds and up
1 mile over turf
1 – Cityscape – If Wise Dan shows up, then Cityscape, trained by Roger Charlton, who finished second to Excelebration in the Prix Jacque Le Marois in his last, might be the one to back because he’s going to offer odds. Even if Wise Dan doesn’t show up, Cityscape might offer odds to win the Woodbine Mile on Sunday. Use him on all exotic tickets.
2 – Big Band Sound – This horse gets the nod over rival Riding the River to garner the exacta spot because he goes into this off of a victory in the Play The King Stakes in his last and finished second to River in the King Edward two races ago.
3 – Riding the River – Then again, Riding the River could definitely turn the tables on his rival. If you like Big Band Sound, then you had better use Riding the River. Put both in the exacta and trifecta is my suggestion with Cityscape in the win slot.
Good luck!
