The 2021 Triple Crown racing series is in the books with three different winners across the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and last Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.
Turning to the summer schedule for the top three-year old Thoroughbreds in this year’s class, Monmouth Park in New Jersey and Santa Anita Park in Southern California take center stage for this weekend’s top graded horse racing betting action.
Highlighting Sunday’s full card of stakes racing at Monmouth Park is this year’s Pegasus Stakes. Later in the day at Santa Anita, the featured event is the Affirmed Stakes.
2021 Pegasus Stakes Predictions
When: Sunday, June 13th 2021
Where: Monmouth Park
The Pegasus is an ungraded stakes race open to three-year old Thoroughbreds. It will be contested on the dirt track at Monmouth Park covering 1 1/16 miles in total distance.
What makes the 2021 edition of this race interesting is the anticipated return of Mandaloun to the track following his stunning second-place finish in this year’s Kentucky Derby. Trained by Brad Cox, this race his expected to be a tune-up for the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth on July 17.
Sired by Into Mischief, he would most likely open as the heavy favorite among a probable field of seven entries. With a Horse Racing Nation rating of 7.69, the Kentucky-bred colt is clearly the class of Sunday’s field. Through six career races, he has placed in the money five times with a trio of victories.
Adding in an entry for an exacta bet, my top choice would be Weyburn. Hot on the 2021 Kentucky Derby Trail, this three-year old Canadian-bred colt won the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct ahead of his fourth-place run in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at that same track in early April.
While he did not end up running at Churchill in early May, trainer James Jerkens like his chances to keep things interesting in his summer season debut.
2021 Affirmed Stakes Predictions
When: Sunday, June 13th 2021
Where: Santa Anita Park
This Grade 3 stakes race is open to three-year old Thoroughbreds with the total prize purse set at $100,000. Also covering 1 1/16 miles in distance, it will be run on the dirt at Santa Anita. As the week wears on, HRN has eight contenders listed as probable for Sunday’s featured race.
Leading that list with a HRN rating of 5.80 is Defunded. Trained by Bob Baffert, this three-year old Kentucky-bred colt is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile which was part of Churchill’s Derby Day race card. This followed a fourth-place run in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3.
Another strong probable for Sunday is The Chosen Vron with a 5.67 HRN rating. This California-bred gelding should feel right at home racing at Santa Anita with three prior victories and a third-place finish at this track on his racing resume. Trained by J. Eric Kruljac, he is coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes on May 15.
Adding one more probable entry on the list to use in any exotic bets, Stalking Shadow adds value at expected longer odds. Trained by Jonathan Wong, this is another California-bred three- year old that caught my eye coming off a victory in the ungraded California Derby at Golden Gate on April 24. The son of Ministers Wild Cat has now won his last three races.
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