Race Preview: Ogden Phipps

Although California Chrome will be trying to become the 12th Triple Crown winner in the Belmont Stakes, that race isn't the best race on the card. They are both on the undercard and are Win and You're In (WAYI) races, the first of the year in the US. This is the preview for one of them, the Ogden Phipps. Here is the field:

7th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, June 7th, 2014 STAKES. 1 1/16 Mile Dirt. Purse $1,000,000. Ogden Phipps S. (Grade 1). FOR FILLIES AND MARES FOUR- YEAR- OLDS AND UPWARD. (03:14 PM) (6)
PP Horse A/S M/E Wgt Jockey Trainer
1 Close Hatches 4 F L 123 Rosario Joel Mott William I.
2 Antipathy 4 F L 115 Ortiz, Jr. Irad McLaughlin Kiaran P.
3 Belle Gallantey 5 M L 115 Ortiz Jose L. Rodriguez Rudy R.
4 Classic Point 5 M L 115 Solis Alex O. Jerkens H. Allen
5 Beholder 4 F L 123 Stevens Gary L. Mandella Richard E.
6 Princess Of Sylmar 4 F L 123 Castellano Javier Pletcher Todd A.

Picks:

Win- Beholder: The two time BC race winner might be even at 4 than she was 3. However, this is going to be a tough test as she is facing Princess of Sylmar who she is 1-1 against and Close Hatches who was runner up to her in the BCD last year. The only reason she loses though it's because this is where Princess defeated Royal Delta last season.

Place- Close Hatches: Unlike Beholder and Princess, she has 2 graded stakes wins under her belt this year both at Oaklawn. The runner up in her last has already come back to win a G1 at Churchill. She is a horse who could be peaking at the right time and has a monster chance to beat those two to the wire first. Even though this is a small field the rail might is not the most ideal place for many horses even though it is the shortest way around

Show- Princess of Sylmar: Lets face it, Antipathy, Belle Gallantey and Classic Point are only here since the race pays down to fifth. She looks to have rebounded from her disaster of a BCD last year with a win in her season debut. However, she could be the first two longer, at a mile and a sixteenth that's short for her. She is def at possible contender in July though for the Delaware Handicap.