Belmont Park Horse Racing Picks for Friday 10/23/20
It's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.
Starting at 12:20 p.m. EST, we have 10 races at Belmont Park. Using numberFire’s projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.
As always, check the program for scratches and changes, and check the weather and track conditions.
(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions).
Accessible, Race 5
FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/1
Thursday on these pages produced two claiming race winners, and a big weekend of racing is ahead with Empire Showcase Day on Saturday. Friday’s Race 5 is a Maiden Claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf.
This is not a good group of runners, but the top pick, according to numberFire’s data, is Holy Emperor (3/1). He's 0-for-7, but he lost by a nose three races back, and his 86 speed figure fits with these runners and this distance.
The favorite, Vicarage (5/2), is a threat for leading-trainer Christophe Clement. The three-year-old is winless in five starts and finished fourth in his Belmont debut on October 1st, with a very wide run coming out of the far turn. Just behind him was Accessible (4/1), who had a troubled trip and was pinched at the start. Accessible is a son of Tapit and gets a rider change to leading jockey Jose Ortiz for EPO trainer Mike Maker, who also enters Lokoya Road (6/1).
Charlie McCoy, Race 7
FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/1
Race 7 is an Allowance Optional Claiming race for state-bred runners going 7 furlongs.
Bears Mafia (7/2) and Bourbon Bay (6/1) have been scratched in a race with a number of shorter odds runners. The projected winner, according to numberFire’s algorithm, is Build to Suit (7/2), while Daily Horse Picks projects Charlie McCoy (8/1) to win in his 2020 debut. He’s finished first or second in 7-of-10 starts, and this race is his best distance. Daily Horse Picks projects Charlie McCoy to be the controlling speed and can challenge off a long layoff at a nice price.
Americanus, Race 9
FanDuel Racing Odds: 7/2
Race 9 is an Allowance race with a higher Optional Claiming tag of $62,500. Just six runners lined up for this 1-mile race, including the favorite and projected winner of numberFire, Money Moves (1/1). He’s the horse to beat, and he drops way down in class after running in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Money Moves will be overbet, and at less than even money at post, we’ll include in Exacta and Trifecta wagering, but we'll look elsewhere for a better payoff to win.
Expert (8/1) has plenty of prior speed, and his figures are faster than Money Moves. Leading jockey Jose Ortiz rides Americanus (7/2) for the horse's new trainer Shug McGaughey. Americanus is a War Front colt who has won two times and finished in-the-money in four of five starts. He’s off a layoff since April, but that stakes race produced his best speed figure when running on the lead before finishing third behind Belmont Stakes runner-up Dr. Post. His early speed in this race is favorable.
