$200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) – Belmont Park

Race 9 (Saturday, October 27, 2018: 5:08 p.m./ET; 2:08 p.m./PT)

Seven furlongs on the main track (three-year-olds and upward)

One of three stakes races on Belmont’s Saturday card is the Grade 3 Bold Ruler, named after a prolific sire that went on to produce 11 champions, including the great SECRATARIAT. BOLD RULER was also a phenomenal racehorse himself: he won 23 of 33 starts and was crowned America’s Horse of the Year in 1957. Without further ado, let’s discuss the field assembled for this year’s Bold Ruler Handicap:

#1 NO DOZING cuts back in distance after a fourth place finish in the Kelso (G2). The last time this colt ran at today’s distance, he finished fourth behind Grade I caliber runners WHITMORE, CITY OF LIGHT and LIMOUSINE LIBERAL. One of the major players.

#2 BON RAISON is a perfect two-for-two at this seven-panel distance and has won three races in a row. Yes, he’s improved since the claim for $16,000 three back, but this level is a whole new ball game.

#3 TRUE TIMBER looks for his third win in a row after a pair of good-looking allowance wins for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Two starts ago, this colt beat PATTERNRECOGNITION, who came back to beat #1 NO DOZING in the Kelso (G2). If he can repeat that allowance win two back, then this guy is in with a massive chance. 

#4 COAL FRONT makes his first start off a 13-month layoff for trainer Todd Pletcher, who wins at a high 32% clip with his trainees making their first start off a break longer than 180 days. This son of STAY THIRSTY showed a lot of raw talent before the long vacation, winning the Gallant Bob (G3) and Amsterdam (G2) in 2017. In fact, this guy is four-for-five lifetime; the only time he lost was in the 2017 H. Allen Jerkins (G1), where he finished fifth behind Grade I winner PRACTICAL JOKE. Raw talent is there to be a good one.

#5 PETROV has failed to be competitive in the last four graded stakes he has competed in. Last time out, he went off at 4/5 in a minor stake at Remington Park and finished fourth behind next out winner WELDER. This is an even tougher group than what he saw last time. Siding with others.

#6 DELTA PRINCE was last seen running fourth in the Woodbine Mile (G1) to OSCAR PERFORMANCE on September 15. This sibling to champion dirt mare ROYAL DELTA has only raced once on the dirt, that lone start coming when he ran second in his career debut. Even though his best work has come on turf, he is a new horse now compared to when he raced on dirt as a maiden. He sports two bullet workouts heading into this race, adds blinkers and certainly has the breeding to be good on dirt. Don’t discount.

SELECTIONS

1. #6 DELTA PRINCE – Class of the field.
2. #4 COAL FRONT – Raw talent.
3. #1 NO DOZING – Look at who he has been running against.

 LONGSHOT VALUE PLAY- #3 TRUE TIMBER – Beat Grade 2 winner two races ago.

 WAGERING STRATEGY

I’ll make a straight win bet on my longshot value play and box all four of my selections in a trifecta.

 BANKROLL PLAY ($50 Budget)

$1 Trifecta Box: #1 NO DOZING and #3 TRUE TIMBER and #4 COAL FRONT and #6 DELTA PRINCE ($24).

$26 Win: #3 TRUE TIMBER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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