Posted on 4/25/2008 6:25:23 PM

Betting on Horse Racing - Calder Derby Grade III - Withers Stakes Grade III

By D.S Williamson

It’s a week before the Kentucky Derby online betting begins. What all horseplayers should be thinking about, besides taking a look at the BetUS online sportsbook and deciding on which horse to put your money on for the Derby, is how to keep oneself sharp before one of the biggest Saturday’s on the racing calendar.

I can tell you how - - by logging onto the BetUS online racebook and putting some money on a horse or two running in the two races below.

Let’s get to it!

Grade III Calder Derby

Calder Racecourse - - Miami Gardens, FL

1 1/8th miles on turf

The favorite in this race will be one of three horses - - Flying Dismount, El Sultry Sun, or Sporting Art. Out of those three the obvious play, and the horse that I think will win this race, is Sporting Art. Why Sporting Art? For one, he is going to save tons of ground around that first turn while both Flying Dismount and El Sultry Sun will have to go wide and lose ground or try to outrun the competition and get to the rail. Either way Flying Dismount and El Sultry Sun are in trouble in this race. This race came up light on quality. That means that Sporting Art, with terrific jockey J.J. Castellano on his back, should have no trouble falling a few lengths behind the speed and then getting through an opening at the top of the stretch. Either Flying Dismount or El Sultry Sun could find themselves in the place spot. I will go with Flying Dismount who had to steady the last time he met Sporting Art in the Palm Beach Stakes. Too bad Flying Dismount is coming from a far outside post or else he’d probably be my top choice. El Sultry Sun is an improving, lightly raced sort who will have hot-shot Kent Desormeaux on his back. Desormeaux is excellent on the turf, but that far outside post may be too much for even Kent to overcome.

1. Sporting Art

2. Flying Dismount

3. El Sultry Sun

Grade III Withers Stakes

Aqueduct Racetrack - - Jamaica, NY

1 mile dirt

This is only a four horse race. Usually, I wouldn’t even look at something like this, but I see an opportunity in this race that doesn’t come along very often. What is that opportunity? The chance to beat not just one but two chalky - - by chalky I mean 6 to 5 or less - - horses in this race. J Be K, out of the Steve Asmussen barn, will go off the favorite. I’m thinking he will settle around 3 to 5 or so in this race. The second choice will be the horse on the rail - - Harlem Rocker out of the Todd Pletcher barn. Rocker should go off around even money or so. The third choice in this race will probably be Richard Dutrow’s charge, Double or Nothing. He will go off around 3 to 1. Who’s the overlay? Why the fourth choice in this race, Face the Cat. Also out of the Todd Pletcher barn, Face the Cat was horrendous in the Florida Derby. Yes, that Florida Derby won by Big Brown. Why do I like Face the Cat in the Withers on Saturday? Well, before losing by 20 lengths to Big Brown, Face the Cat actually ran three pretty good races. It’s also intriguing that John Velasquez decides to stay in New York for this race instead of heading out West to Churchill Downs this weekend. Hmm…that means something, right?

1. Face the Cat

2. Double Or Nothing

3. J Be K

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