Saturday, June 5 is the biggest race day of the year at Belmont Park with the running of the Belmont Stakes as the final leg of the 2021 Triple Crown racing series.

However, this Saturday’s race card at this fabled race track in Elmont, New York is also in the spotlight as part of the Memorial Day weekend lineup. The biggest race on the card this Saturday at Belmont is the 2021 Pennine Ridge Stakes with a set post time of 5:12 p.m. (ET).

If you are looking to wager on another major graded stakes horse race to get an early jump on the holiday weekend, Friday’s race card at Penn National Race Course features the Penn Mile with a slated post time of 7:46 p.m.. This thoroughbred racing venue is located near Harrisburg, PA.

2021 Penn Mile Odds and Picks

When: Friday, May 28th 2021 at 7:46 PM

Where: Penn National Race Course

The featured race on Friday night’s race card at Penn National is open to three-year old Thoroughbreds. The total prize purse for this one mile run on turf is set at $300,000.

This year’s Grade 2 Penn Mile has seven contenders listed as entered. Leading the field with a horse racing nation rating of 6.58 is Annex despite a recent fade to eighth place in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1.

The son of Constitution will break from the No. 3 post on Friday night with Junior Alvarado as his jockey. Trained by William Mott, he won his previous three races at Gulfstream Park before the disappointing finish on Derby Day.

I am going with Outadore as my top choice in the Penn Mile. Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., this Kentucky-bred colt looked sharp in his recent victory in the ungraded Animal Kingdom Stakes at Turfway Park on March 27.

As a juvenile, the son of Outwork placed third in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland in early November.

2021 Pennine Ridge Stakes Odds and Picks

When: Saturday, May 29th 2021 at 5:12 PM

Where: Belmont Park

This Grade 2 stakes race is open to three-year old Thoroughbreds. Run on the turf track at Belmont, this race covers 1 1/8 miles in total distance. The total prize purse for this year’s Pennine Ridge is set at $200,000.

The field of nine is set for Saturday’s featured race at Belmont. Trainer Todd Pletcher’s Sainthood has the highest HRN rating in the field at 6.54 coming off a recent 11th-place finish in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Breaking from the No. 5 gate in Saturday’s race, this Kentucky-bred three-year old will have jockey Joel Rosario leading the way. The son of Mshawish placed second in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway Park on March 27 prior to his respectable run at Churchill.

Another top-rated entry in this race is Step Dancer at 5.77. Trained by Barclay Tagg and ridden by jockey Manny Franco, this New York-bred colt will break from the No. 2 gate with some solid home track advantage. The son of War Dancer has placed in the money in three previous races at this track including a victory in the ungraded Awad Stakes in his final run as a juvenile.

My top choice in this year’s Pennine Ridge is Hard Love coming off a victory in the ungraded Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct on April 17. Sired by Kitten’s Joy, he covered the 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:44.34. He will break fourth in this race with jockey Javier Castellano getting the call.

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