Manhattan highlights dazzling Belmont Stakes undercard

By the New York Hot List Staff // Friday, June 4, 2021

The Belmont Stakes may be the biggest race on Saturday’s card, but it’s not the only must-see race at Belmont Park. There will be eight Grade 1 stakes on a dazzling card, bringing together a collection of the sport’s top horses in several divisions. One of the best promises to be the Manhattan Stakes, a mile-and-a-quarter turf stakes that matches a superb field of 10 and promises to be an outstanding wagering affair.

Here’s the Hot List picks:

$750,000 Manhattan (G1), Belmont Park, Saturday, Race 10.

The Manhattan shapes up as rematch between Colonel Liam and Domestic Spending after their dead-heat for the win in the Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill on Kentucky Derby day. (10) Colonel Liam is the leading Older Turf Male in the country based his four consecutive victories for Todd Pletcher, all since Irad Ortiz got on board. (4) Domestic Spending is on his own winning streak of three. The Turf Classic dead-heat was his first start of the year, so he is entitled to improve in this race. Flavien Prat rode him last time for Chad Brown. (9) Gufo will offer a bit of value in this salty field, since he has hit the board in all nine of his starts including five wins for Christophe Clemente. His last three starts were all Grade 1 races. He will be making his usual late closing run. (8) Tribhuvan ran the best race of his career in his first start of 2021 when he won the Fort Marcy (G2) with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest of any horse in the field.

The NY Hot List analysis of all 13 races on the Belmont Stakes day card along with an all-stakes Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.