Written by :
Published on :
It won’t all be about America Pharoah Saturday. The experts from the Daily Racing Form, Churchill Downs, New York Times and more offer their expert picks.
Those not selecting American Pharoah to win the Belmont Stakes Saturday include Ron Flatter of Fox News Radio. He’s picking Frosted at 6-1 odds.
“Might have made it interesting in the Derby if it was a quarter-mile shorter,” he suggests, alluding to the Derby’s race distance.
J.J. Hysell of the Louisville Courier-Journal also likes Frosted’s chances.
“Frosted boasts a perfect pedigree for this race, he's fresh after the Derby and he's on his home track.”
Frosted is the second choice for most of the experts followed by Materiality, also with 6-1 odds.
Here are those expert Belmont Stakes picks and predictions.
John Asher (Churchill Downs)
1. American Pharoah – American Pharoah is the most talented and versatile member of what I continue to believe is a good group of 3-year-olds.
2. Materiality
3. Keen Ice
4. Frosted
Bet: It's a tough race to bet because the prospects significant reward are slim. The plan: purchase a souvenir win ticket on AP, then key a trifecta over the trio listed above, cash your winning ticket, buy a beer (winnings should just about cover it) and raise a toast the new Triple Crown champ.
Jerry Bossert (New York Daily News)
1. American Pharoah – Has the speed and class to be the next Triple Crown winner
2. Frosted
3. Materiality
4. Keen Ice
Bet: This is a race to watch, not to bet. Too chalky.
Caton Bredar (WAVE3)
1. American Pharoah – The only other horse possibly in his league on his best day and with an ideal trip is Frosted.
2. Frosted
3. Mubtaahij
4. Madefromlucky
Bet: Key American Pharoah with #6 Frosted in trifectas & superfectas; so 5,6 with 5,6 with all; 5,6 with all with 5,6
Jill Byrne (Churchill Downs)
1. American Pharoah – Checks all the boxes needed to be mentioned with Triple Crown Great
2. Frosted
3. Materiality
4. Mubtaahij
Bet: Trifecta box with all four horses above.
Ron Flatter (Fox News Radio)
1. Frosted – Might have made it interesting in the Derby if it was a quarter-mile shorter.
2. Madefromlucky
3. Materiality
4. American Pharoah
Bet: Fifty dollars to win on Frosted.
David Grening (Daily Racing Form)
1. American Pharoah – Can't find any kinks in the armor of American Pharoah, who has looked dynamite galloping over the Belmont main track.
2. Tale of Verve
3. Frosted
4. Materiality
Bet: Going to single American Pharoah (5) at the end of a pick-4 play that begins with Lady Lara (1), Coffee Clique (4) and Ball Dancing (8) in the Just a Game; Private Zone (1), Tonalist (4) and Honor Code (9) in the Met Mile and Finnegans Wake (3), War Dancer (4), Big Blue Kitten (5) and General a Rod (10) in the Manhattan.
J.J. Hysell (The Courier-Journal)
1. Frosted – Frosted boasts a perfect pedigree for this race, he's fresh after the Derby and he's on his home track.
2. American Pharoah
3. Materiality
4. Keen Ice
Bet: $1 superfecta box: 6,5,8,7
Ed McNamara (Newsday)
1. Frosted – Closer to pace, runs down American Pharoah in the stretch
2. American Pharoah
3. Materiality
4. Keen Ice
Bet: Win/Place on Frosted
Mike Penna (Horse Racing Radio Network)
1. American Pharoah – If he breaks well, he will be very tough to catch.
2. Materiality
3. Frosted
4. Keen Ice
Bet: Two dollar souvenir win wager on American Pharoah, and hope it happens.
Jeremy Plonk (Horseplayernow.com)
1. American Pharoah – Pace and field dynamics all put American Pharoah in the fast lane to history.
2. Madefromlucky
3. Frosted
4. Keen Ice
Bet: Cold exacta American Pharoah over Madefromlucky
Jennie Rees (The Courier-Journal)
1. Frosted – We've seen this plot before, just fill in new name: New York horse who skipped Preakness wins Belmont.
2. American Pharoah
3. Materiality
4. Keen Ice
Bet: American Pharoah is a superior horse and has qualifications maybe since Spectacular Bid to pull this off. So 10 $2 win tickets on American Pharoah as keepsakes – or to put with those Funny Cide tickets I found in a drawer recently.
Gary West (ESPN)
1. American Pharoah – High cruising speed combined with willingness to rate will enable him to succeed.
2. Keen Ice
3. Frosted
4. Materiality
Jon White (Santa Anita)
1. American Pharoah – I wrote before the Derby: Just might sweep the Triple Crown. Have not changed my mind.
2. Materiality
3. Frosted
4. Tale of Verve
Bet: Price will be so short, can't recommend any wagers.
Tim Wilkin (Albany Times Union)
1. American Pharoah – We've waited long enough. Best horse of his generation and he'll prove it.
2. Frosted
3. Keen Ice
4. Materiality
- Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com
