America’s Best Racing and handicapper (and avid gambler) Monique Vág team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend in a regular feature blog that will run on Fridays.

For some posts, Vág will try to identify a longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet. She also will look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or occasionally try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers.

This Weekend’s Bets

Saturday, June 10

Longshot Play

Belmont Park, Race 2, $150,000 Easy Goer Stakes, 12:07 p.m. ET

#1 Sonic Mule: I’ll happily toss his last two races – the first an effort over a track not listed as fast, and two back he was interfered with at the start and tired late against Grade 2 company. The rail post could prove to be advantageous to work out a ground saving trip and solidify early position upfront. Surprisingly today he’s entered in a non-graded stakes race so the drop to facing easier may be undervalued and highly appreciated. I love the 10-1 morning-line odds.

Best Bet

Belmont Park, Race 5, $750,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes, 1:52 p.m. ET

#5 Songbird: Is she the most likely winner on the whole card? Absolutely. She’s shown time and time again why she is deserving of being considered debatably the best filly racing in the world today. It’s unfortunate she doesn’t have her undefeated streak still, losing a heartbreaker by a nose to Beholder last time out. She’s shown that she’s more than willing to strike first asking off a layoff and I think she meets a very soft field today and her odds will reflect that.

Sunday, June 11

Best Bet

Woodbine, Race 4, $100,000 Alywow Stakes, 2:46 p.m. ET

#5 Victory to Victory: This filly will be making her third start off a layoff today so I anticipate her to be even sharper and I think she meets a relatively easy group today. I like to see how she isn’t a one way speed-type horse and she’s shown ability to win working out a stalking trip or on the front end. If she races anything like her Grade 1 victory in September she should cruise today.

Exacta Box

Woodbine, Race 9, $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, 5:29 p.m. ET

#1 Stallion Heiress: This filly set the pace early on in her last start but ended up tiring and fading badly late. Is that problematic for me? Absolutely not. The pressure up front and racing over turf course listed as good is easily excusable. She will be trying blinkers today for the first time, and I think draws the perfect post to work out a ground-saving rail trip from a stalking position if she desires, or try to wire the field. Either way, the ball looks to be in her court as she looks like one of only a couple in here with early speed.

#2 Inflexibility: Breaking her maiden in her last start was done so in a faster time, 1:41.17, than a Grade 3 a couple of these fillies raced in last time out so that definitely caught my eye immediately. She will be trying her luck against winners for the first time and the move up in class is definitely substantial, but I think she fits the part.

#8 Financial Recovery: I love the addition of Mike Smith today, it’s such a substantial jockey upgrade and I certainly think he can get the best out of this filly who has shown some signs of potential. She has not raced over a fast track many times which leaves her as a little bit of a wildcard. She will be making her third start off a six-month layoff today and at big odds, with an upgraded jockey and good breeding. I’ll take a shot on her hitting the board!