Tag: nehro

      2011 Belmont Stakes Predictions

      June 11, 2011 /
      Exercise rider Carlos Rosas gallops Kentucky Derby hopeful Nehro on the track during early morning workouts at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, May 5, 2011. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT HORSE RACING)

      The third and final leg of the Triple Crown will be run tonight at 6:36PM ET and as usual, I’m here to produce some good fade material.

      Actually, my predictions for the Preakness weren’t half-bad. After going 0-3 picking the money horses in the Kentucky Derby, I nailed Animal Kingdom and Astrology to finish on the board at Pimlico. Maybe tonight at Belmont Park is my night!

      Nah – fade me.

      WIN: NEHRO (4/1)
      Many observers believe that this year’s Belmont Stakes will be a three-horse race between Animal Kingdom (2/1), Nehro (4/1) and Shackleford (9/2). But out of those three contenders, Nehro is the freshest after sitting out of the Preakness and that’s important considering the Belmont is a 1.5-mile race. Nehro has also already shown that he can hang with Animal Kingdom after finishing second at the Kentucky Derby. I like him to pull off the small upset tonight.

      PLACE: ANIMAL KINGDOM (2/1)
      Apparently there’s a 50-percent chance that it could rain tonight at Belmont Park, so I’m a little concerned about all the favorites. But Animal Kingdom is just too good to leave off the board. And while I’ve predicted Nehro to finish ahead of him, I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2011 Kentucky Derby champion won easily. In six career starts, he hasn’t finished lower than second in any of them and has three career wins, including back-to-back victories in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes and the Kentucky Derby.

      SHOW: MUCHO MACHO MAN (10/1)
      I predicted Mucho Macho Man to finish second at the Preakness Stakes and he was a major dud, coming in sixth. But apparently he lost a shoe during the race, which contributed to his poor finish. In 10 career races, he’s finished off the board in only two of them. He won the Grade 2 Risen Star back in February and now that he’s been fitted with a new shoe, I love his chances of finishing in the money at the Belmont.

      FOURTH: PRIME CUT (15/1)
      I usually don’t make a prediction for fourth place but I had to mention this horse because I consider him my sleeper of this year’s Belmont. Prime Cut didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness, but in seven career races he’s never finished lower than fourth and that came in his debut. The only reason I don’t have him finishing in the money is because he’s only raced twice against graded competition and has never made a Grade 1 start.

      External Sports, horse racing

      Animal Kingdom to race at Belmont

      May 28, 2011 /
      Jockey Jesus Castanon (R) rides Shackleford to victory ahead of second place finisher Animal Kingdom ridden by jockey John Velazquez (L) in the 136th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, May 21, 2011. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT HORSE RACING)

      Even though he lost his bid for the Triple Crown when he was defeated at the Preakness, Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom will race at this year’s Belmont according to SI.com.

      There were some questioning whether or not trainer Graham Motion would hold Animal Kingdom out of the Belmont (June 11) after Shackleford held him off down the stretch at the Preakness. But apparently the 3-year-old colt is a “go” for the third leg of the Triple Crown.

      Preakness winner Shackleford is not yet a definite for the final leg of the Triple Crown. Trainer Dale Romans says he wants to wait a few days before deciding.

      The last rematch in the Belmont between the Derby and Preakness winners was 2005, when Preakness winner Afleet Alex defeated Derby winner Giacomo.

      Animal Kingdom will attempt to become the 12th horse to complete a Derby-Belmont double.

      Even though Shackleford beat Animal Kingdom at Pimlico two weeks ago, I would think most horseracing observers would consider Nehro to be Animal Kingdom’s main threat at the Belmont. Nehro had an impressive outing at the Kentucky Derby, where he finished second behind Animal Kingdom. He sat out of the Preakness, meaning he should be fresh for his running at Belmont Park in two weeks.

      Of course, many people probably counted Shackleford out at the Preakness when track crewmembers had a though time loading him into his starting position. He set the pace at Churchill Downs before finishing fourth and then won at Pimlico. He cannot be counted out if he winds up running and I hope he does, because it should be a three-horse race between him, Animal Kingdom and Nehro at the Belmont.

      External Sports, horse racing

      Uncle Mo scratched from Kentucky Derby, Dialed In now clear favorite

      May 6, 2011 /
      Kentucky Derby hopeful Uncle Mo with exercise rider Hector Ramos gallop on the track during early morning workout at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, May 5, 2011. REUTERS/John Sommers II (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT HORSE RACING)

      For weeks, the notion surrounding the Kentucky Derby is that there is no clear-cut favorite this year. But given the latest news on contender Uncle Mo, one may have just emerged.

      During a press conference on Friday morning, trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole announced that Uncle Mo had been diagnosed with a gastrointestinal infection after fishing a disappointing third in the Wood Memorial on April 9. He was then treated with antibiotics and had appeared to be improving, but after consulting with a trio of veterinarians Pletcher and Repole came to the conclusion that their colt wouldn’t be ready in time for Saturday’s race.

      So Uncle Mo has been scratched.

      The main beneficiary of Uncle Mo’s misfortune is Dialed In, who has been considered the favorite for weeks. But his odds were listed at +350 on Monday, while Uncle Mo was +400 – thus the reason that observers didn’t feel as though there was a clear-cut favorite this weekend.

      But now Dialed In is listed at +250, while the thoroughbred with the next best odds is Nehro at +700. Oddly enough, Nehro was going off at +600 on Monday, +400 on Wednesday and is now +700, so his odds have actually gotten worse despite the news that Uncle Mo has been scratched.

      Either way, Dialed In would appear to be the clear-cut favorite to win this Saturday. And if recent history is any indication, that may not be a good thing. Big Brown was the last favorite to win the Kentucky Derby back in 2008. Since then, two long shots in Mine That Bird and Super Saver have won. But maybe this is the year that the favorite gets back into the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs.

      External Sports, horse racing

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