[boxify cols_use =”3″ cols =”5″ position =”right” order =”none” box_spacing =”5″ padding =”3″ background_color =”gray” background_opacity =”10″ border_width =”1″ border_color =”blue” border_style =”dotted” height =”205″ ]UPCOMING STAKES

  • Jostle Stakes (PRX) — Saturday, 3yo fillies, 6 furlongs
  • Crank It Up Stakes (MTH) — Saturday, 3yo fillies, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf)
  • John McSorley Stakes (MTH) — Sunday, 3yo and up, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf)
  • G2 Monmouth Stakes (MTH) — Sunday, 3yo and up, 1 1/8 miles (turf)[/boxify]

All racing eyes will turn to Belmont Park this weekend, with a monster Saturday card highlighted, of course, by California Chrome’s bid for the Triple Crown in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Still, there’s plenty to focus on in the mid-Atlantic:

  • The fourth leg of our Maryland Handicapping Series takes place Saturday.  It features seven races from Pimlico and three from Belmont, including the Belmont Stakes itself.  Come join us — for fun, for bragging rights, and for some great prizes!
  • Speaking of Pimlico, Saturday is closing day for the 2014 meeting.  On top of the Triple Crown festivities, the track is also holding a Brew and Bourbon Festival with plenty of drinks in the second floor grandstand.
  • Monmouth’s weekend feature is Sunday’s Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes, a nine-furlong turf test for older runners.  If the morning line odds are any indication, the race is as wide open as it could be, with a 4-1 (!) favorite.  Lochte, who won the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and has run second and third in two subsequent Grade 1 events, gets the nod as favorite.
  • Parx Racing also has a stake this weekend, the Jostle for sophomore sprinting fillies.  In that $75,000 event, Fat Kat (2-1) will look to register her fourth consecutive win.
  • Several Members of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll are in action this weekend at Belmont Park:
    • Older Horses
      • #1 BEN’S CAT, 5-2 favorite, Grade 3 Jaipur at Belmont Park
      • #3 PRINCESS OF SYLMAR, 9-5 second choice, Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park
      • #4 WATERWAY RUN, 6-1, Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont Park
      • REAL SOLUTION (others receiving votes), 5-1, Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park

      Three year-olds

      • #2 FAVORITE TALE, 12-1, Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park

Finally, for our BELMONT STAKES coverage highlights: