Hungry to Find “Real” Value in Garden City at Belmont Park

The first of nine Grade 1 races of the fall championship meeting at Belmont Park takes place on Saturday when a field of eight very talented fillies meet up in the $250,000 Garden City (G1).

Seven of the eight fillies are stakes winners, with five of the gals being Graded or Group winners, including the European invader Theyskens’ Theory, who will be making her second trip to the U.S.

The Brian Meehan trainee checked in sixth in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) as the third choice in the field of twelve.

The top three finishers in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2) meet up again, with the winner More Than Real seeking her first win since taking the race at Churchill Downs at 13/1.

The Todd Pletcher runner has made two starts this year, getting outrun off the layoff in the Coronation Stakes (G1) when shipped to Royal Ascot in June, followed by a third place finish in the Lake George (G2) on July 27 at Saratoga.

Winter Memories was the 6/5 betting choice in that race finishing second, and figures to be the favorite again today. The James Toner trainee is looking to rebound off a fourth place finish in the Lake Placid (G2), which snapped a three race win streak.

Jose Lezcano could not work out a trip with Winter Memories in the Lake Placid, and for the first time in her career the filly will have a new rider, with Javier Castellano taking over the reins..

Lezcano picked up the call on Kathmanblu, who had the lead in the stretch in the Lake Placid with Castellano aboard but was no match late for the hard charging Hungry Island.

Completing the field are Dauphin Miss winner Salary Drive, recent first level allowance winner Arch Support, and Desert Vixen winner Pinch Pie.

In addition to TVG and HRTV, MSG Plus will broadcast the Garden City live during a 30-minute telecast that gets underway at 5:00 ET.

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!

Let’s head out to the Belmont Park for Saturday’s featured race of the day:

Belmont Park Race 9 The $250,000 Garden City G1 Post time 5:18 ET

• More Than Real 8/1
• Winter Memories 8/5
• Hungry Island 3/1
• Pinch Pie 10/1

More Than Real looks as if she may end up a decent price here as Winter Memories figures to get all of the betting action again. The Todd Pletcher trainee beat the morning line favorite last fall in her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf (G2) where she paid $29.20. She made her three year old debut at Royal Ascot where she failed to fire off the seven moth layoff, finishing a distant 11th in the Coronation Stakes (G1). She returned in the Lake George and got Lasix back and checked in a decent third. In that outing she was bumped lightly coming out of the gate and raced wide much of the trip. She looks primed for a top effort here in her third start off the bench for the Pletcher barn that has been on a roll, winning six graded stakes at the recently concluded Saratoga meeting. She is out of the multiple stakes winner Miss Seffens ($503K) who did most of her best running sprinting on the main track. Worth a good look if she goes off near her 8/1 morning line odds.

Winter Memories was sent off at 2/5 last out in the Lake Placid (G2) and I tried to beat her with Kathmanblu, who ran a good second at 7/1 behind Hungry Island. She did not get the best of trips or rides from Jose Lezcano, who is off with Javier Castellano taking over. She went into the Lake Placid a perfect three for three in 2011, taking the Appalachian (G3) in April, Sands Point (G2) in May, and the Lake George (G2) in July. She is perfect in two trips over the Belmont Park turf and I like the jock switch, but the price is going to be tiny again as she likely gets bet down from her 8/5 morning line.

Hungry Island passed her class test last out with a good looking win in the lake Placid (G2). She came with a good strong rally in the stretch to win by 2 ½ lengths as much the best. It was her fourth win in a row and she now has produced a career top speed fig in each of her last three starts. She does not have the look of a filly that is going to bounce, and the Shug McGaughey barn is having a very solid 2011, hitting at a 20% clip overall. She is proven over the turf here and at the distance, with the main question mark what price she ends up going off at.

Wagering:
WIN: More Than Real to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 1,4 / 1,3,4,8
TRI: 1,4 / 1,3,4,8 / 1,3,4,7,8