Field of 13 to meet in Belmont Derby on the final Saturday of the meeting

By NY Hot List Staff | Thursday, July 7, 2022

The curtain comes down on Belmont Park’s spring-summer meet this weekend, but not before an action-packed Saturday card featuring the $1 million, Grade 1 Caesars Belmont Derby. The 1 1/4-mile grass stakes, which kicks off the Caesars Turf Triple, attracted a relatively huge international field of 13, with five starters from overseas. Among the top threats from American shores are Emmanuel and Napoleonic War, who finished 1-2 in the Pennine Ridge Stakes.

As for what’s next, we’ll see you Thursday, July 14 with full-card analysis for opening day at the Spa, the unrivaled Saratoga Race Couse.

Here’s the Hot List picks for the Belmont Derby:

The $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) – Belmont Park, Saturday, Race 9.

(10) Nations Pride comes to America for Charlie Appleby and that is probably enough said, the way his horses won big races last year when they shipped overseas. International superstar jockey Frankie Dettori is expected to ride this Irish-bred who won 4 out of 6 career starts. (9) Tiz the Bomb returns to turf racing after spending this year on the Kentucky Derby trail. Last seen he was ninth in the Run for the Roses, but in 2021 he won twice on the grass and then was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). (13) Stone Age won a Group 3 at Leopardstown and then ran sixth in the Cazoo (better known as the Epsom) Derby (G1) which had a field of 17 loaded with top horses on a day that some did not handle the track well and he was very sweaty pre-race. (8) Royal Patronage won a Group 2 and a Group 3 last year at major tracks in England. Joel Rosario will get the mount for the first time.

The rest of the NY Hot List picks and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.