Horse Racing News for 6/19/20

Horse Races Today: Friday's Belmont Park and Churchill Downs Analysis & Odds
June 18, 2020
By Mike Dempsey

We have one day until Belmont Stakes Day, the first jewel of the Triple Crown in 2020, the race being run two weeks later that it was originally scheduled.

If you plan on wagering on the race, it is one of 12 on the card that gets underway on 11:45 ET tomorrow. Post time for the Belmont Stakes is 5:42 ET on NBC, part of a three-hour telecast that starts at 3:00 ET.

FS1 and FS2 will televise the earlier races on the card, which features five supporting stake races, three of them Grade 1 races.

We may need to get creative on Saturday as several of the stakes drew small fields. The $250,00 Woody Stephens (G1) and the $150,000 Wonder Again (G3) drew just five runners each.

Before we get to the big day, we have plenty of good betting action on Friday, a 10-race card at Belmont Park and we will also take a look at some of the races at Churchill Downs.

The feature at Belmont Park on Friday is the $80,000 Sir Cat, a six-furlong sprint on turf that drew a field of seven plus one main track only entrant.

The Mark Casse trained Jack and Noah came off nearly a four-month break with a game effort at Churchill Downs, missing by a head, and gets the call.

His main rival will be Guildsman, who makes his third start since landing in the U.S. for the Brendan Walsh barn. His problem is he has broken poorly in his two efforts and it is tough to recover from a tardy start going six furlongs on turf.

My Best Plays Report for Friday includes my nine strongest plays from Churchill Downs and Belmont Park.

You can catch the action from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs today from 12:30 to 6:30 on FS2. Horseplayers can also stream all the horse racing action using the Watch TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. is offering a risk free bet up to $300 for new players.

Belmont Park Race 1 Analysis - 6/19 (1:15)
BEL Race 1 Md Sp Wt (1:15 ET)
#8 Quick Nick 4-1
#10 Effinity 3-1
#6 Market Alert 6-1
#7 Competitive Hero 9-2

Analysis: Quick Nick is a $47,000 Spa purchase sent out by the Clement barn that is 27% winners (with a +ROI) with first time starters. The colt is by Central Bank out of an Indian Charlie mare that has dropped three foals to race with a pair of winners. Sharp works at Payson and then a good gate drill here on the main track should have this guy set up for a good effort in his debut.

Effinity is one of two in here sent out by the Cox barn. This colt was a $60,000 Spa purchase, by first crop sire Effinex who stands for $10,000. The colt is out of a stakes placed Freud mare that has dropped two foals to race that are a combined 0 for 8 to date. A bullet work out of the gate on June 13 on the training track. Cox hits at a 16% clip with first timers. The barn has been live at the meeting, winning with 5 of his first 9 starters. The barn has sent out only two juvie firsters this season, both at Churchill Downs and they finished fourth and eighth.

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Churchill Downs:
Churchill Downs Race 5 Analysis - 6/19 (3:10)
CD Race 5 Md $30,000 (3:10 ET)
#7 Indawin 7-2
#10 Malibu Anthem 10-1
#8 Complete Surprise 10-1
#4 Carefree Highway 6-1

Analysis: Indawin drops back in for a tag and switches back to the main track after a well beaten 11th on turf last out off a 3 1/2-month break. She finished in the money in her four previous starts, all going a one turn mile at the Big A including a head loss last November in her second career start. Blinkers go on and she catches an easier group here. The Sisterton barn is 29% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from turf to dirt.

Malibu Anthem debuts for the Walsh barn that is 9% winners (with a +ROI) with first time starters. This gal was a $180,000 Ocala purchase, by Malibu Moon out of a Tiz Wonderful mare, her first foal to race. She did her prep work at Palm Meadows and then has four published works at Keeneland. She looks ready to go and this looks like a good spot here debuting for a $30,000 tag.

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
Belmont Park Race 8 Analysis - 6/19 (5:36)
BEL Race 9 The Sir Cat (5:36 ET)
#2 Jack and Noah 3-1
#4 Guildsman 7-2
#7 Chimney Rock 2-1
#3 Old Chestnut 8-1

Analysis: Jack and Noah set the early fractions and battled on gamely in the stretch to miss by just a head last out against non-conditioned allowance foes in his first start off a 3 1/2 month break, beaten by our third choice in here who was 10-1. Our top pick won the Atlantic Beach at Aqueduct in his third career start after a fourth in the Futurity (G3) in his first start against winners where the barn may have just brought this guy back to quick after his debut maiden score. He did not handle a mile two back and now makes his second start off the bench for the Casse barn that is 19% winners (with a +ROI) with runners making their second start off a 45-180-day layoff. He owns the edge in early and mid pace numbers and they likely do not catch him here.

Guildsman makes his third start since coming state side and landing in the Walsh barn. He was off poorly in the Texas Glitter in his U.S. debut which was off a six-month break and then again was off a beat slow last out. After being away at the back of the pack he came with a good late run to finish third in the same race our top pick exits, beaten 3 1/4 lengths. He reunites with Saez and is a threat here if he can overcome his issues at the start. He was a close up third in the Coventry Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot last year and second in the Round Tower Stakes (GT2) at the Curragh.
Live Longshots - 6/19
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R3: #4 Call the Cat 12-1
R4: #7 Autostrade 8-1
R5: #12 Always Alright 10-1
R6: #5 Jump for Joy 8-1
R9: #3 Old Chestnut 8-1