Havre de Grace Headlines a Super Saturday at Belmont Park

With Horse of the Year honors aspirations, Fox Hill Farm’s Havre de Grace headlines a star studded line up on Super Saturday at Belmont Park when she goes to the post as the favorite in the $350,000 Beldame (G1).

There are six graded stakes on the card, with each a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race, with the victors earning an automatic starting berth in the corresponding Breeders’ Cup race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4-5.

Along with four Breeders’ Cup Challenge races from Santa Anita, the final tune ups for many of the top equine stars will be televised on ESPN Classic during a three hour telecast that gets underway at 4:40 ET.

The races will also be streamed live on ESPN3.com.

Havre de Grace is coming off a win against males in the Woodward (G1) at Saratoga on September 3, her fourth win in five starts this year.

Her lone loss was a runner up finish in the Delaware Handicap (G2) at the hands of Blind Luck, the top fillies separated by just a nose.

A win in the Beldame will send her to face males again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), where she could become the third female in a row to take down Horse of the Year honors, following in the hoofsteps of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.

Only four foes will line up on Saturday to take her on. The Larry Jones trainee is the 3/5 morning line favorite.

The Bill Mott trained Royal Delta is the 9/5 second choice on the morning line, and the three-year-old filly will be taking on older for the first time.

She has won three of five starts this year, last out an impressive winner of the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga where she won by 5 ½ lengths.

Completing the field are Delaware Handicap third Life At Ten (8/1), Saratoga Dew runner up Banker’s Boy (20/1), and Sightseek runner up Satans Quick Chick (12/1).

The $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) drew a field of seven including Travers (G1) winner Stay Thirsty, who faces his elders for the first time.

A winner of three of six this year, a victory on Saturday would put him squarely at the head of the class for year-end top honors for three-year-olds.

The Todd Pletcher trainee is the 8/5 second choice on the morning line behind Flat Out (7/5), who is coming off a pair of runner up finishes in the Whitney (G1) and Woodward (G1).

Flat Out is coupled in the betting with the Bill Mott trained Birdrun, who most recently was second in the Greenwood Cup at Parx on July 16.

Completing the field are Ice Box (12/1), Rodman (8/1), Drosselmeyer (6/1), and A. U. Minor (10/1).

The stakes action starts in the fifth race, the $500,000 Flower Bowl invitational (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 ¼ miles on the inner turf.

The race drew a field of eight seeking to earn an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Beverly D. (G1) winner Stacelita is the 6/5 morning line favorite for trainer Chad Brown.

Cape Blanco is the one to beat in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at 1 ½ miles on the turf.

The Aidan O’Brien trainee has racked up the frequent flier miles as this is his third trip to the U.S. this year.

The four-year-old colt is perfect in two trips state side, taking the Man O’ War (G1) on July 9 at Belmont Park and returning to win the Arlington Million (G1) on August 13.

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) champion Big Drama tunes up for a repeat when he takes on eight foes in the $350,000 Vosburgh (G1) at six furlongs on the main track.

The five-year-old trained by David Fawkes makes just his third start of 2011 in the Vosburgh.

He won the Mr. Prospector (G3) in January earning a 120 Beyer Speed Figure, the top number of any horse so far in 2011.

That effort earned him a seven month layoff, and he returned to easily win the Whippleton at Calder on Sept. 4.

His main foes figure to be Trappe Shot (9/5), winner of the True North Handicap (G2) and second in the A.G. Vanderbilt (G1), and the Bob Baffert trained Eurears, who is coming off a victory in the Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar on July 31.

Last year’s champion two-year-old Uncle Mo is the 4/5 morning line favorite in the $200,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) going a mile on the main track.

The winner earns an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), but his connections have said their goal is getting him to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

The colt takes on older for the first time, and will need his running shoes on to defeat Forego (G1) winner Jackson Bend and Cigar Mile (G1) winner Jersey Town, who was second in the Forego in his last outing.

Michael Dempsey provides his full card report for Belmont Park each racing day. Mike’s full card report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations. Get a month of action from the Belmont Park meeting for a special price of $79.95!