Belmont Park’s Ogden Phipps is the only Grade 1 stake on Saturday
Belmont Park’s Ogden Phipps is the only Grade 1 stake on Saturday
By The NY Hot List Staff – Friday, June 12
Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Ogden Phipps will be run as a one-turn mile-and-a-sixteenth over the main track at Belmont Park. The field of six graded stakes winning fillies and mares will also compete for a “Win and You’re In” spot in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on November 7 at Keeneland.
The Phipps serves as a rematch between Ollie’s Candy and Point of Honor who are the top two choices on the morning line. They were last seen finishing second and third respectively in the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park on April 18.
Ollie’s Candy [8-5] will ship east from the Santa Anita barn of John Sadler. She won a battle on the front end in the Apple Blossom only to be nipped at the wire by the late running Ce Ce.
The Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners runner Point of Honor [2-1], on the other hand, broke poorly and found herself 23-lengths behind in the early going and then rallied to get third, beaten by a little more than two-lengths.
“We hope for a better trip,” said Eclipse President Aron Wellman. “She got pinched at the back and lost all position. She was hung wide and had to weave her way through traffic and still ran very, very well in a highly-rated Apple Blossom. I was proud of the effort that day and I’m hoping for a better trip.”
In the Phipps, which is carded as race 9 with post-time scheduled for 5:36 pm ET, handicappers will have to decide between four runners who prefer to race on or near the lead and a late running filly and mare.
Here is the analysis of the race from the New York Hot List team.
(2) Point of Honor battled with the top 3-year-olds in the country last year and should get an ideal pace set-up for her closing move. She ran a big race to finish third in the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park after getting badly left out of the gate. (5) Ollie’s Candy was second in the Apple Blossom after setting the pace and getting nipped at the wire by the very talented Ce Ce. She should be around at the finish. (1) Pink Sands, who won her last two starts in graded stakes, had planned to run in the cancelled Spring Keeneland meeting but then had to wait for Belmont to open. (3) She’s a Julie has back class which should serve her well in this field and makes her likely to be part of the mix at the end.
Full card picks and analysis of this card from the New York Hot list, including the Special Saturday Pick 3, is available free of charge on the MyWinners Sports website.