Check out my Saturday (9-20-25) Belmont at Aqueduct Race 8 analysis below.
BAQ 8 (G3 Winter Memories, 3yo fillies, 8T) – Post Time 4:42 PM ET
Primary – #1 OPULENT RESTRAINT
Secondary – #9 Griselda, #2 May Day Ready, #3 Ready for Candy
Horse Comments:
#1 Opulent Restraint (2-1) ran well in both local turf route stakes attempts (1st Chelsey Flower and 2nd Memories of Silver). She set the pace and finished a close third in the G1 Belmont Oaks on July 5 and 1-2 finishers Fionn and Nitrogen were next-out stakes winners. This one was the favorite in the G2 Saratoga Oaks at 9.5T on Aug. 9 and she pressed the pace and held the show in a disappointing effort. Manny Franco is her new rider and she might be the one to catch from the inside post at this shorter trip.
#9 Griselda (9-2) showed nice late interest when capturing her first start in this country as the favorite at Saratoga on Aug. 6. Flavien Prat had his choice of the Chad Brown runners and opted for this one over Opulent Restraint. The patient filly might not get the right setup but horses with the best finishing kick win their fair share of turf routes even when the pace is not fast.
#2 May Day Ready (3-1) won her first three turf starts last year including the G2 Jessamine, and she rallied from post 12 and landed the place in the G1 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf (Nitrogen 3rd). She shipped to Japan and finished up the track in a G1 at the end of her juvenile campaign (December 2024). She returned in the G3 Wonder Again and that race was originally scheduled for turf and run at one mile in the slop, and she was last of 3 in a race she clearly needed. She returned to turf in the G1 Belmont Oaks and had a troubled start and ended up 4th of 7. Last time, she took advantage of a race with no pace and Jose Ortiz gave her a great ride in the G2 Lake Placid on Aug. 23. Frankie Dettori takes the call and he guided her to three straight turf route wins last year.
#3 Ready for Candy (6-1) gets tested for class after romping in a 9T maiden race as the favorite on Aug. 17. That was her first start in 8+ months and she controlled the pace and won easily. I don’t know what we are going to get from her in this spot but she sure looked good last time.
Wagers:
#1 to win
Exacta 1/2-3-9
Exacta 2-3-9/1
Recent 2025 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Aug. 30 – Tommy Jo ($4.00)
Aug. 31 – The Padre ($3.40)
Sept. 2 – Marian Cross ($5.00)
Sept. 7 – Modus Bestia/Latitude/Cheever Trifecta ($80.20)
Sept. 14 – Lovin’ On the Run ($6.40)
Sept. 15 – Calvin’s Ride ($7.80)
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