Shapiro cautions Friday biases may not apply to Belmont day

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival is half complete after a fun day of racing headlined by Thorpedo Anna’s dominant victory in the Acorn Stakes (G1), but the biggest day was yet to come. 

With six Grade 1 events among 14 wagering opportunities Saturday at Saratoga, horseplayers are searching for edges they can get over the public on Belmont Stakes day.

Were there any track biases of note on Friday and will they even matter with rain coming down towards the tail end of the card prior to the running of the Intercontinental over the Saratoga sod?

Through seven races on Friday in Saratoga Springs, four of which were on the main track, one could make the case that speed and the rail were good prior to the storm that took place shortly after the running of Race 8.

One of the maidens involved early captured a wide-open lid lifter followed by logical inside speed runners taking the field all the way in Races 2, 4, and 7.

I have a great deal of respect for fellow handicappers who aim to get ahead and seek out biases early so they can take advantage later in the card, but often times it is easy to jump to quick conclusions with small sample sizes and logical winners. That was likely the case Friday before the rains came in upstate New York. 

Jefferson Street won race 8, which was the last before the rain came, without making the lead and from an outside post, but with the blazing first half mile set by El Capi, the Bill Mott trainee was able to angle over and avoid a wide voyage in that well strung-out field.

This was the final dirt race of the day other than the Acorn, which saw the best filly in Thorpedo Anna stalk early from the outside and pull away late making an assessment of the racetrack after the storm very difficult to be confident about. 

This brings us to the biggest day of the year on the New York Racing Association calendar with not a lot to take from yesterday’s proceedings that handicappers can feel confident in using to help gain an edge this afternoon.

With the potential of a shower this morning and plenty of time for the maintenance crew to work on the track, I recommend going into Saturday’s 14-race extravaganza with a clean slate and ready to decipher what you see early on in the card. Is speed good? Can horses make wide moves and finish with energy? 

I wish I had a crystal ball, but unfortunately, it will be a wait and see approach on one of American thoroughbred racing’s biggest days. Good luck!