--Starting soon, you won't have to be a Rockefeller to play a 3x5x7x9 superfecta partwheel in New York. All it will take is $36 and a dream.
"We are hopeful to have 10 cent superfecta wagering for the start of the Belmont meet," writes NYRA CEO Charlie Hayward in an e-mail. "We have not had any further discussion internally about bet minimums beyond that but would be willing to entertain those conversations."
--After doing the work on yesterday's races, I don't have much to add or report beyond the following:
Race 3: Russian Gypsy's A1x victory in the third race came up a strong one (95 Beyer). The 3-year-old Unbridled's Song filly led all the way and stopped the timer in 1:16.46 for 6 1/2 furlongs, 2.10 seconds faster than the 2-year-old filly Morakami's debut victory in the previous race. Runner-up City Bird, beaten just a neck, also ran a big one.
Race 8: Loose Leaf, who won the $80k Lemon Drop Kid Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths, earned a 97 Beyer and has the look of an improving 3-year-old. The Notebook colt made a wild premature move to the lead in the Iowa Derby last time out before fading to fifth.
--The track finally got a good soaking here this morning and was still muddy (officially "good") for the first race on an overcast but thusfar otherwise rainless day. [Update: As of 3:47 p.m., it's raining lightly here.] The turf course could really use some water and when it eventually gets some, it may be worthwhile later in the meeting to play against some of the front-runners who were helped by a rock-hard course the opening two weeks.
--The main attraction on today's card is the grass debut of Nobiz Like Showbiz in the featured Hall of Fame Stakes. Everyone seems to be picking against him, but I'm not so sure a legitimate Grade 1 dirt horse isn't capable of beating G2/G3 grass 3-year-olds like Hill Prince winner Marcavelly and Lexington winner Distorted Reality. I'm using all three in equal strength in my pick fours.
