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The days are rolling off the calender and the 2011 Breeders Cup is rapidly approaching. Before that we have Super Saturday at Belmont Park which provides an excellent preview of the coming championship day. Often these big days leading into the Breeders Cup can disappoint, but the fields for this year’s edition of the Flower Bowl, Kelso, Vosburgh and Jockey Club Gold Cup have me salivating. Let’s take a look.

Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational

We aren’t likely to see a surprise in this one. If the favored Stacelita runs her race there is little to no chance she loses. The French bred mare won the Beverley D last out in her first try for trainer Chad Brown. The 2009 French Oaks winner just appears too good to lose this one.

Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational

I’m the first person to try and beat a favorite, but Cape Blanco appears to have this group over a barrel. The Irish bred son of Galileo won the Arlington Million last out and before that the Man O’ War over this Belmont turf course. Last year’s winner, Winchester, and this year’s Manhattan winner, Mission Approved, rate the best chances for an upset. However, it is unlikely to happen.

Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational 

This is as wide open a race as you will find and it’s loaded with stars like last years Breeders Cup Sprint winner Big Drama. He hasn’t lost since then, but has had significant time off racing just twice. A stat for him that jumps off the page is his 6 wins from 7 starts at the distance. His only loss came to Majesticperfection who was an absolute monster. While there are plenty of reasons to like him, I’ve got to go another direction because the competitiveness of the event.

My top pick will be Euroears who has been a new animal since joining Bob Baffert’s barn. He was last seen winning the Bing Crosby at Del Mar in track record breaking fashion over top animals Smiling Tiger and Amazombie. The seven-year-old is an absolute rocket ship and should gun from the start with JJ Castellano in the irons. I’ll probably use him and perhaps another one or two horses on the Pick 4 and play another ticket with an ALL in this race. Anything could happen in the 2011 Vosburgh.

Grade 2 Kelso Handicap

You can call this the “Uncle Mo Show”. The most popular horse in racing will get his first win since taking the Timely Writer at Gulfstream Park. I loved the way he ran in defeat last out in the King’s Bishop. The colt proved he can rate effectively and narrowly lost to a sharp horse while earning a fat 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Don’t even bother trying to beat him. It’s just not going to happen unless something goes seriously wrong.

Grade 1 Beldame Invitational

The brilliant Havre de Grace is favored here based on her last out victory in the Woodward against males. This race might not be as simple as it seems though. The streaking filly Royal Delta will be a handful, and Todd Pletcher says reigning champ Life At Ten is the best looking horse in his barn right now. I’ll use all three on my Pick 4 and make Royal Delta my selection.

Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup

Rodman had a rough trip before fading last out in the Whitney. Three back in the Met Mile he posted a career best speed figure. I’m going to take him as my top selection as a price and hope he can beat the favorites to the finish. After him, Flat Out is the most interesting option. We had him as our top pick when he broke through at 14-1 in the Suburban and he has run two solid races since then.

All Stakes Pick 4: ALL/3/1,2,5/1,3

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The Whitney Handicap is the premier race of the Saratoga meeting for older horses. The 1 ⅛ miles race is a grueling test which includes the likes of Alydar, Personal Ensign, Easy Goer, Awesome Again, Lemon Drop Kid, Invasor and Lawyer Ron among its winners.

Last year we nailed Blame ($8.80) as our top selection on the way to a $2,564 Pick 4. We also had Commentator ($10.80) as our top selection and play of the day when he won in 2008.

The 2011 edition of the Whitney looks very strong and could provide a lucrative payoff if you back the right racehorse. Let’s take a look at the field.

Flat Out (Flatter x Cresta Lil by Cresta Rider): We had this tough runner as our top pick in each of his last two races. The first of those events was the Stephen Foster Handicap where he tried to make a move up the rail, but failed to close effectively at odds of 18-1. After that we backed him again in the Suburban. It turned out to be the right move as he romped home at odds of nearly 14-1. Alex Solis was aboard for the first time that day and elects to stay aboard even though he had options here. Now that everyone else is ready to jump on the train I am ready to hop off. While I like the horse he was a much more appealing prospect at double digit odds. He gets the rail today and has never won going two turns. I’ll pass at 4-1, but recognize that he could win this race.

Friend or Foe (Friends Lake x Unbridled Star by Unbridled) I’m bullish on this colt in the long term, but I don’t like that he has just won race this year. Even though it was a good race in which he defeated Rail Trip by a head, I wish he had a bit more seasoning. On the bright side he proved how talented he is by winning the Empire Classic Handicap by five lengths in his penultimate race last year. I’m confident that he will score a break through win soon, but I don’t know if it will be in the Whitney at 8-1. Jose Lezcano picks up the mount from Alex Solis.

Morning Line (Tiznow x Indian Snow by AP Indy) The Nick Zito trainee scored his best lifetime win over this distance when he won the Pennsylvania Derby last year. Since then he has become a Grade 1 winner by taking the Carter Handicap and was involved in a very close finish in the Breeders Cups Dirt Mile. I’m willing to excuse his last out effort in the Salvator Mile where he ended up fifth. Regular jockey John Velazquez was gone that day and the first three finishers came back to run well with Soaring Empire winning, Kensei finishing behind him and Rule taking a minor stakes race at Saratoga. Things could get heated up front so I expect Johnny V to try and get him to relax behind a few horses. He is as good as any horse in this race and deserves consideration at odds of 10-1.

Giant Oak (Giant’s Causeway x Crafty Oak by Crafty Prospector) The first thing I notice when I look at this horse is the shiny :58 4/5 five furlong breezing bullet he fired over the Saratoga track on July 31. The Donn Handicap winner is clearly getting better as he gets older. His last two races have seen him make two furious charges down the lane only to come up short. The pace wasn’t particularly hot in either of those races, but it could be torrid in this one. That means he will have a big shot at winning. The only bad thing I can see for him is that he will have Shaun Bridgmahon riding. Nothing against the guy, but he is ice cold right now. It is very clear to me that this is a horse that is doing well and thriving at Saratoga and if not for this being a highly contentious field he might be my pick.

Tizway (Tiznow x Bethany by Dajyur) We had this great colt as our top selection in the Metropolitan Mile last out where he cruised to an easy win smashing the clock in 1:32 4/5 at odds of 4-1. Many will be hot to bet him after such an amazing performance, but I will encourage caution before doing so. First, we must consider that that win came over what is clearly his favorite track. Tizway has dominated at Belmont Park with a win in the Kelso and third place finishes in the 2009 Jockey Club Gold Cup and 2010 Met Mile. Furthermore, this colt has proven that his optimal distance is one mile. I’m not saying Tizway can’t or wont win, but the price will not be generous enough as I expect him to be bet well below his morning line odds of 6-1. Rajiv Maragh gets the call to ride.

Mission Impazible (Unbridled’s Song x La Paz by Hold Your Peace) The Todd Pletcher trainee raced near a very soft pace last out in the Stephen Foster Handicap and just missed holding on while finishing second beaten a neck to upset winner Pool Play. His last win came at Fair Grounds in the New Orleans Handicap where he beat Apart and Giant Oak. His record at the distance is incredible with 2 wins from 3 starts. I know it’s only 2 wins, but when you consider that those wins were the aforementioned New Orleans Handicap and Louisiana Derby that record sounds much better. In the end he rates  below my top few horses in here, but would be no surprise for top notch connections. JJ Castellano rides back after boarding him for the first time last out.

Rail Trip (Jump Start x Sweet Trip by Carson City) It’s been a long road to redemption for the 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup winner, but it appears he is back in top form for Jay Em Ess Stable and trainer Richard Dutrow. His first race in over six months came on June 5 in the Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont Park where he set a very rapid pace and was only narrowly defeated by Friend Or Foe. Clearly that is a strong race for a gelding that hadn’t been out in so long. Rail Trip races best near the front and I will look for Ramon Dominguez to put him on the lead. If he is fit enough he could take them all the way at a juicy price of 12-1.

Headache (Tapit x Pamric by Woodman) As horse bettors it is our job to look for the horses that are getting better and capitalize at a big price. We picked Headache to win the Cornhusker Handicap last out and he came through at odds of 9/2. That was a big effort as Miguel Mena angled him outside and he roared past Grade 1 winner Awesome Gem for a 2 ½ length victory. Trainer Mike Maker is no spring chicken and if you don’t know who he is then you should check him out on Google ASAP. The closer will get a big pace to chase and it looks like he is in great form right now. I highly encourage including him on Pick 4 tickets at odds of 20-1. He would come as no surprise if he were to win the Whitney. Ken and Sarah Ramsey might have a big time runner in this former claimer.

Rodman (Malibu Moon x Crystal Gem) It seems like we have hit every horse in this race at some point and Rodman is no exception. He was our big price horse in the Met Mile as we nailed the $378 exacta cold with Rodman second at huge odds of 36-1. He had no business being such a big price in there as the horse has proven he can run with the best of ‘em by easily winning the Irish Tower in his previous start. Rodman was a distant third in the Suburban last out where JJ Castellano put him on the lead and he set fast fractions. While this guy can be effective on the front he is clearly better when closing. His second place finish in the Met happened with him rallying from as far back as ninth. I’m a little worried this isn’t his best distance, but with a perfect 2 for 2 record at Saratoga and a boat load of talent this isn’t a horse you want to leave off your Pick 4 ticket. Edgar Prado gets the mount back for the first time since 2009. I’ll make him the top pick at 20-1.

Apart (Flatter x Detach by Unbridled) Last year’s Super Derby winner comes to Saratoga in search of his first Grade 1 win after finishing third in the Stephen Foster last out. He races for Al Stall and will have Julien Leparoux up for the second time. The closer will get a very fast pace to chase in here, but I’m just not sold that he is good enough to even hit the board in this race. I’m going to pass odds of 6-1 which I consider to be a huge underlay.

Duke Of Mischief (Graeme Hall x My Lady Amelia by Real Courage) He defeated one of the deepest field of handicap horses we have seen in a very long time two back in the Charles Town Classic. On his best day this horse can win this, but he is sort of like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You never know which one you will get. He closed well last out in the Stephen Foster even after having a very slow pace in front of him and even led at one point before ending up fourth. He has a sharp four furlong work in :46 4/6 B over the track which rated first of 95 moves. I’m bullish at 8-1 and look for him to be finishing very well under Joe Bravo.

In summation my top selection to win the Whitney Invitational Handicap from Saratoga is Rodman (20-1). I love that he is a perfect 2 for 2 at Saratoga and he should race from off the pace with Edgar Prado back up. He showed us in the Metropolitan Mile that he is still a highly talented individual and over looking him at such a big price is a huge mistake. Horses to include on the Pick 4 other than my top selection are Giant Oak, Headache and Duke of Mischief. If you feel like going very deep I would also throw in Morning Line and Rail Trip.

To get our full card picks for all of the horse racing action at Saratoga check out our Saratoga Picks page.

Betting online for the Whitney Handicap is convenient and easy. Just head over to Twin Spires or  TVG where new players get a $100+ sign up bonus!

The Memorial Day card at Belmont Park was very good to us here at Gradedstakes.com. Our top selection in the Met Mile, Tizway, cruised to an easy 2 3/4 length win while returning $8.20 for a  $2 win bet.

Our second choice in the race, Rodman, finished second at a massive price of 36-1 to set off an exacta that paid $358. I had that one a few times along with a dime superfecta. I’m more happy for our reader, Nick Cantarella, who chimed in to let me know that he used my picks to hit the superfecta for a whopping $7,561.50! Several others also let me know they had it on my advice. Way to go, guys and gals.

Tizway made a ton of sense for me. He clearly loves the Belmont surface as all of his best races have been there and he was third against an arguably better field in the Met Mile last year. Not only that, but his running style suited the pace set up perfectly. I’ve always thought the son of Tiznow had a ton of potential and he finally lived up to it. He scorched the clock with a final time of 1:32.90 which was very close to the stakes record and faster than Quality Road who did it in 1:33.11 last year.

Tizway wasn’t the hard horse to have though. 36-1 shot Rodman was. I’ve watched this horse for most of his career and I have always thought he had a ton of talent. When he won by 5 under a mild hand ride last out I was impressed and the connections showed a ton of confidence by bringing him to the Met. In my mind he was closer to a 12-1 shot, so I was very happy when I saw his odds as they loaded in the gate.

I have always thrived on graded stakes racing. That is where my best horse betting takes place. Give me a 5k beaten claimer and I’m terrible, but if its a Grade 1 race I believe I’m as good as anyone out there. Stay tuned to Gradedstakes.com for more tips on the best racing that horse racing has to offer. Also, consider checking out our Facebook page, Twitter feed and Youtube page by clicking the links on the side of this page.

The Metropolitan Handicap is a fixture of the racing scene dating back to the 1890’s. This one-turn one mile race is known as the “stallion” maker, as its Grade 1 status and one-turn mile distance are major plusses to American breeders.  This year’s group of 11 runners has four horses that can put that major stamp on their future stallion status.  Seven others (including one gelding) will try to prevent that from happening while notching a major win. Let’s break down this field, based on what it would mean to their stallion status.

The last thing missing from their resume:

Aikenite has come back in 2011 with a vengeance as he won two graded events at seven furlongs. He is the co-high weight at 120 lbs, but he looks vulnerable as this is his 3^rd race in 6 weeks, including a ship from Kentucky after his last race. He is the 3^rd choice on the morning line at 9/2, but he will probably go off lower than that. Haynesfield has several graded stakes wins (including a G1 in the JCGC), but this win would be the coup de grace for this New York bred.  He loves Belmont, with a 7-5-1-0 record. However, his only off the board finish was his last race in his 2011 debut.  He’ll carry 119 lbs. for the race, and he looks to bounce back. He is the morning line favorite at 7/2, but he will probably go off at around 3-1. Kensei hasn’t returned to his three year old form, when he won both the Grade 2 Dwyer and Jim Dandy Stakes.  He has struggled at this top tier of racing, including getting obliterated in this race last year by 12 ¾ lengths. The one turn mile distance is a good one, but he looks to be up against it this time.

Needs this win to be more than a regional sire:

Soaring Empire won the G3 Hal’s Hope to start his 2011 season, and has been working strong since his last race in March. However, he struggled in his only other Grade 1 forays, and was beat twice by fellow entrant Tackleberry after beating him in the Hal’s Hope. His odds always feel to be depressed versus his actual chances, so he may once again be an underlay. Caixa Electronica won first off the claim for Todd Pletcher last out in the Grade 3 Westchester. He has had only one solid work since, but can he keep it going? Tizway won the Grade 2 Kelso last year, then went off as the second choice in the BC Dirt Mile last year, where he finished 5^th.  He finished 3^rd last year in this race, and he cuts back off a third in the Charles Town Classic. He loves Belmont almost as much as Haynesfield, with a 5-2-1-2 lifetime record here.  He’s worked well since the race, is in the lightest of the main contenders (116 lbs.) and his outside post should let him get a good stalking position.

Career-Making win:

Stormy’s Majesty takes a big step up from his NY-bred stakes win last out, and is probably in too deep. Rodman steps up off a $60k stakes win last out, and he does run well fresh, but he’s never been this high up the ladder. He’s never been out of the exacta at the distance, and he could be the bomb in the exotics. Yawanna Twist has been a professional check-earner in his career, with his only off-the-board finish being his 4^th in the Preakness. However, he has never won a stake of any kind in his career. Maybe he sort of grinds his way to an on the board finish? Ibboyee has won NY-bred stakes and placed in open states, but maybe this is beyond his optimum distance.

That leaves Tackleberry, who is the only gelding in the field. He is the major speed in the race, and was strong over the winter. He throws on lasix after bleeding last out while finishing fourth in the Charles Town Classic.

So there’s the field for the Met Mile. Can someone assure themselves a high stud fee in Kentucky? Or get that win to make sure they end up in Kentucky at all? No matter what, it figures to be a good race.

Our top pick is Tizway. Click here to find out why. Also, consider betting with Twin Spires this Memorial Day weekend. They offer an excellent $100 sign up bonus. Wagering online is the way to go and the preferred method of this site.

Ryan Patterson takes a look at the Metropolitan Mile. His top pick is Tizway. Watch the video to find out more!

I was greatly looking forward to the Native Diver Handicap this past weekend, because I thought I would get to see Lava Man race for the first time in nearly 17 months. That wasn’t to be, because trainer Doug O’Neill scratched the gelding from the race because of rain. The field was still strong with Mast Track, Neko Bay, Tres Borrachos, Square Eddie, and High Court Drama as the contestants. Doug O’Neill trained High Court Drama and Square Eddie.

2008 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Mast Track was able to take an easy lead from Tres Borrachos, and ended up winning the race in relative ease under jockey Rafael Bejarano. He paid $8.20 to win, which is a very solid price on him considering that it was only a five horse field. I was fortunate enough to have a $50 win bet on the son of Mizzen Mast.

Mast Track was purchased by Stronach Stables the day before the race. He was previously owned and trained by the late Robert Frankel. I hope to see him continue to run strong, and I hope that he will be a force in California in 2010. High Court Drama was along for second after winning his first U.S. startlast out. He looks to have a promising future on either the synthetic or turf course.

The other big story from this weekend involves an ex-claimer winning a graded stakes race. Rodman was racing for a $35k tag six months ago, and is now a candidate for the Donn Handicap after an easy win in the Queens County Handicap. He went wire to wire and beat a good horse in second place finisher Researcher. Storm Play was also in the race, but wasn’t much of a factor.

Did anything happen in the horse racing world that you’d like to discuss? Leave a comment and let me know!