Memorial Day Stakes Races – Quality Road Huge Horse Betting Favorite in Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont

Memorial Day is often times one of the better days for horseplayers to find overlays.

One of the best races in which to find a horse bet overlay on Memorial Day is traditionally in the Metropolitan Handicap.

That might not be the case this year as Quality Road, arguably the best handicap horse in the country, will run in the Metropolitan Handicap.

Besides the Metropolitan Handicap, the other stakes race on the card at Belmont on Monday is the Grade II Sand’s Point.

Memorial Day Stakes Races: Belmont Park

Belmont – Race 9

Race-time: 5:16 pm EST

• Grade II Sand’s Point Stakes
• $150,000
• For Fillies Three Years Old
• 1 1/8 miles over the inner turf

Because this is a speed-laden field, the likeliest winner will most likely be a presser or closer. That presser could be Strike It Rich. The daughter of Unbridled’s Song has 2 victories out of 6 starts in her brief career and may be turning into a serious horse on the lawn after coming home first in an allowance down at Gulfstream Park in her last. Trainer Christophe Clement wins at a 23% clip with his shippers.

Negligee gets blinkers and should improve off of her 2nd place finish over the turf at Churchill Downs in her last. She gets another 1/16th miles to work with in this and was coming on strong in that last race. If a speedster does well in this race, it will be Hit It Rich.

The lightly raced daughter of Smart Strike is bred to love the turf and keeps Kent Desormeaux for her first try over the lawn.

1. Strike It Rich
2. Negligee
3. Hit It Rich

Belmont – Race 10

Race-time: 5:49 pm EST

• Grade I Metropolitan Handicap
• $500,000
• For Three Year Olds and Up
• 1 mile over dirt

The Todd Pletcher trained Quality Road would have to have more than just a bad day to lose the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap.

He would need to fall flat on his face or throw jockey John Velasquez. The only horse to beat Quality Road in 7 races since February of 2009 has been Summer Bird. Summer Bird is not in this field. Le Grand Cru has a good chance of finishing second in this race and adding value in the exotics.

The Allen Jerkens trainee has enough speed to stick with Quality Road early meaning that if he just runs his race, he might hang on for the place money. Musket Man was blocked and had to alter his path in his last. With a cleaner trip he could outrun rival Warrior’s Reward for the show spot.

1. Quality Road
2. Le Grand Cru
3. Musket Man

Good luck!

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