Belmont Offers a ‘Quality’ Stakes on Opening Weekend

By the New York Hot List Staff // Friday, April 23, 2021

The fun part of the New York racing season is now underway with the opening weekend of action at Belmont Park. The Kentucky Derby is just a week away with Essential Quality as the one to beat, and the first Saturday at Belmont Park features the Elusive Quality Stakes, a turf sprint that attracted a field of eight, including a dangerous trio from the nation’s top turf trainer, Chad Brown.

Here’s the Hot List picks:

Belmont Park, Saturday, Race 8.

(4) Therapist [ML 7-2] loves the Belmont Park turf and the seven-furlong distance. He won a stake last year at Belmont following a long layoff and won this race back in 2019 for Christophe Clement. Clement’s assistant trainer said, “He runs well fresh. It doesn’t take much work for him to get ready.” (6) Front Run the Fed [ML 2-1] is one of the Chad Brown trio. He is 2 for 2 at this distance and was last seen in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November. He missed winning a Grade 3 by a neck before that Breeders’ Cup and is the morning line favorite. (3) Casa Creed [ML 3-1] has lots of back class for Bill Mott. He is a Grade 2 winner and is Grade 1 placed. The seven-furlong distance is a cutback after racing at a mile frequently. (1) Value Proposition [ML 4-1] was last seen in the Woodbine Mile (G1) in September for Brown. He has three career wins all at a mile or longer on the turf. Brown is great when his horses return from long layoffs, winning at a 29% clip.

Analysis of the other NY Hot List races and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.