Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park

Dave Bond

Las Vegas, NV -- The 83rd running of the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes comes our way this Saturday, April 28th as Belmont Park opens for its spring/summer meet. Horses three years old and upward will go one mile on Belmont's main track in search of their share of the $150,000 purse.

The Westchester is a traditional prep race for the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap meaning that this race holds some weight. Seven starters, including three former Grade 1 victors will go in race 9 on Belmont's Saturday card. Post time is 5:06 PM. Here is a look at the seven entries and the credentials that brought them to this important prep race.

Greyhound Betting

Westchester Stakes Race Favorites

To Honor and Serve - will make his first start of 2012 after an impressive win last time out at the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap in November at Aqueduct. To Honor and Serve won three of four starts in 2011 - the only hiccup being a disappointing seventh at the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs in November. To Honor and Serve has six wins, a second and two third place finishes in 11 career starts.

Boys at Tosconova - comes into the Westchester on a three race win streak - all Allowance Optional Claiming races. Perhaps his most impressive result came in November 2010 - a second at the Grade 1 Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile to follow up a win at the Grade 1 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.

Remaining Field Entries

Jersey Town - won the Cigar Mile Handicap in 2010 but hasn't tasted victory since. Last time out was a second in the Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream on March 31 and before that was an unflattering sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November. In 17 career starts Jersey Town has five wins, seven seconds and two third place finishes.

Westchester Stakes betting at Belmont Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Bold Deed - has only eight career starts with three wins and two second place finishes. Bold Deed has three starts in 2012 - a win last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming race and two seconds in similar races all at Aqueduct.

Marilyn's Guy - has four wins in the last five starts including an impressive score last time out in the Grade 3 Excelsior Stakes on March 17th and the As Indicated Stakes February 18th both at Aqueduct. Marilyn's Guy has been impressive and is an intriguing sleeper in this race!

Ponzi Scheme - hasn't raced since August when he finished third in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park. Before that was a third in the Greenwood Cup Stakes in July at Parx. In 26 career starts Ponzi Scheme has seven wins, two seconds and seven third place finishes.

Goombada Guska - will be making only a second graded stakes start - the first being a fifth in last year's Grade 3 Excelsior Stakes. Last time out was a third in the Bryan G. Stakes on March 11th at Aqueduct and before that was a sixth at the Firethorn Stakes on October at Belmont Park.


Westchester Stakes Entries

Race 9 on Belmont Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:06 PM.

Post Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Boys At Tosconova R. Dominguez R. Dutrow, Jr.
5-2
2 Jersey Town E. Prado B. Tagg
3-1
3 Ponzi Scheme J. Alvarado J. Serey
30-1
4 Goombada Guska R. Napravnik S. Asmussen
20-1
5 Marilyn's Guy J. Velazquez A. Dutrow
6-1
6 To Honor and Serve J. Lezcano W. Mott
7-5
7 Bold Deed J. Castellano M. Hushion
12-1