Check out my Thursday (10-3-24) Belmont at Aqueduct Race 7 analysis below.
BAQ 7 (Gio Ponti, 3yo, 8T) – Post Time 3:46 PM ET
Primary – #11 VESTING, #9 Donegal Momentum
Secondary – #10 Royal Majesty, #6 Palm Tree, #2 Take Me to Church
Horse Comments:
#11 Vesting (5-1) cut back in distance and rallied to finish a close third in the same race Thursday’s rival Donegal Momentum exits. Flavien Prat sticks with Chad Brown’s gelding and he can make some noise in the lane if the pace is honest.
#9 Donegal Momentum (9-2) stretched out, switched to turf, and stalked the pace and scored by a nose on Aug. 24. The $375k Uncle Mo colt should make his presence felt from the outset.
#10 Royal Majesty (7-2) looked good rallying for the win in an allowance turf route at Keeneland in April. He was third in the local Pennine Ridge (G2) on May 25, and was an even fourth in the Belmont Derby (G1) and Saratoga Derby (G1) in his last pair. He shortens up and gets some class relief, and he will try to get involved late.
#6 Palm Tree (6-1) still has some upside for Brendan Walsh. He was a close third in the Pulpit at the end of 2023, and he rallied for the show as the favorite in his needed Kentucky Downs return on Sept. 5. Profitable turf rider Frankie Dettori takes the call and he might move forward in his second start after a long layoff.
#2 Take Me to Church (5-1) was 7-2 in his US bow and he fell into the temporary rail when another rival went down. He won three races in Ireland and has worked twice since his last.
Wagers:
#11 to win
Exacta 9-11/9-10-11
Trifecta 2-6-9-11/2-6-9-11/10
Recent Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Sept. 23 – Bostontonian ($3.50), Exacta ($6.90)
Sept. 23 – Rotknee ($4.10), Double (races 7-8, $5.60)
Sept. 25 – Eff Thirty Five ($2.80), Trifecta ($38.00)
Sept. 28 – Toupie ($4.00)
Sept. 30 – Possiblemente/Goodie Goomer Exacta ($38.40), Trifecta ($95.80)
Oct. 1 – Beads ($10.20), Exacta ($28.00)
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