America’s Best Racing and handicapper (and avid gambler) Monique Vág team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend.

Vág will identify her top picks as well as at least one 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 occasionally look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers.

This Weekend’s Bets

Saturday, July 3

Best Bet

Belmont Park, Race 2, 1:31 p.m. ET

#5 Daggerboard: His most recent try was a runner-up finish at the sprinting distance. This was his first race in over five months and it looked like he was going to run away with it around the final turn. This time around he gets another try versus a similar group and draws a great post to once again utilize that early speed we saw in his two most recent tries.

He should be a lot sharper getting to make his second start only a few weeks later and having a fitness edge over some of his other main competition.

Best Bet

Belmont Park, Race 6, 3:34 p.m. ET

#7 Dreams of Tomorrow: In his most recent start back in May, he was raced back on only a few weeks after just missing in April, losing by just over a length. In his May start at Belmont he worked out a really nice rallying score by over four lengths. This was a super impressive win visually, although the race did set up for him with fast early fractions.

On Saturday, there appears to be quite a bit of early speed which could help to set this colt up well for another similar type of trip from off the pace. He’s going to be very tough in this spot.

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Longshot Play

Arlington Park, Race 4, 5:32 p.m. ET

#3 Musical Theatre: He raced well in his debut versus a small field that consisted of only four horses.  That was versus an overall easier maiden claiming group but he will try his luck once again Saturday in a maiden special weight event racing at the route distance.

In his debut, he closed nicely racing over the all-weather surface and that experience could come in handy getting another try at the same distance. Look for this colt to attempt to work out a similar stalking trip just behind some of the early speed.

Longshot Play

Woodbine, Race 10, 5:53 p.m. ET

#11 Avoman: It’s been over seven months since we last saw this gelding on the track. After finishing a decent third in his debut versus maiden company, his connections opted to try him in a couple of stakes races. He performed well in both, scoring a victory two back racing on the turf in a sprint. 

On Saturday, he gets to stretch out in distance and try his luck racing in a route for the first time in his career. Despite the outside draw, he should be able to use his early speed to secure positioning somewhere close to the pace early. The addition of blinkers today could also help him to keep focus down the lane and fend off some late closers.