Buy TicketsRace 9 at Belmont at the Big A | Saturday July 6 | Post Time 4:42 PM Eastern
Belmont Oaks Invitational – Grade 1 | Purse $500,000 | One Mile and Three Sixteenths on Turf | Fillies, Three Years Old
Win contenders:
In a nine-horse field in which ALL have credentials to succeed by virtue of wins or runner-up efforts in graded stakes on turf, Cinderella’s Dream (8) will get top billing. First, she will be a bit ignored as a shipper from Europe as compared to U.S. based runners and recent stakes winners as she finished seventh in her most recent race. However, that was the Group 1 1000 Guineas in England, a race with a $650K purse and with a higher class than a U.S. based Grade 1 like this race. There were 16 horses in that field and she finished seventh, earning a 113 Equibase Speed Figure which is HIGHER than the best figure of ANY other horse in the field. Prior to that, Cinderella’s Dream won the 1000 Guineas in Dubai, with a 100 figure, and before that in her 2024 debut earned a 94 figure winning in a field of 10. William Buick comes in from Europe to ride and was aboard for both of the filly’s wins this year BUT NOT the loss. Buick is the #1 rider for Godolphin around the world, and when he comes over to ride for Appleby we must REALLY be wary of ignoring him, because over the last five years in graded stakes turf routes these two have won EIGHT of FIFTEEN, and finished second in five others.
Pin Up Betty (1) was very impressive winning the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs five weeks ago, her second in a row after four runner-up efforts. Like Cinderella’s Dream, who improved from 94 to 100 to 113 Equibase Speed Figures, Pin Up Betty improved from 93 three back in her 2024 debut, to 94, then to 99 in the Regret, which was run at the similar distance to this race. Getting the ground saving rail and with the best finishing kick in the field, except perhaps for Cinderella’s Dream, Pin Up Betty is another filly nearly impossible to ignore when considering win bets as she opens at 10 to 1.
That being said, all of the other seven are horses I would NOT talk anyone off if they wanted to bet them to win or use them on exacta or other tickets involving this race. Dynamic Pricing (2) opens at 5 to 1 off a win in the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks day, Buchu (4) was one length behind Pin Up Betty in the Regret and two before that won the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland, Segesta (6), also trained by Brown as is Dynamic Pricing, won the Grade 2 Wonder Again Stakes in her most recent race. She Feels Pretty (7), who opens as the 2 to 1 favorite, won the Hilltop Stakes on Preakness Day after six months off and won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes last year. Sy B (9) was second behind Segesta in the Wonder Again. Fun With Flags (3) is another European import and as second in a group 3 stakes when last seen, after winning the first three races of her career. Secret Satire (5) won a group 3 race in England in May but was badly beaten when 10th of 12 at the end of May, however in the Group 1 Betfred Oaks, a much tougher race than this grade 1 in the U.S.
Win Bets: Cinderella’s Dream (8) at 2 to 1 and Pin Up Betty (1) at 4 to 1. Given the difference in odds, I would probably bet two times as much to win on Cinderella’s Dream as compared to Pin Up Betty.
Exacta:
Cinderella’s Dream (8) and Pin Up Betty (1) over ALL.
ALL over Pin Up Betty (1) – this bet is in lieu of a place bet on Pin Up Betty, who may go to post near her double-digit starting odds.