How to bet the Beldame Stakes

A compact field of six fillies and mares will run 1 1/8 miles on the Aqueduct main surface in Sunday’s $250,000 Beldame S. (G2). It’s impossible for me to look past the surging #4 Raging Sea for conditioner Chad Brown, and I will try to find value underneath the deserving favorite in the vertical exotics. 

Beldame Wagers

• $25 trifecta 4 with 3 with 5 ($25)
• $10 trifecta 4 with 5 with 3 ($10)

Race Shape:

The race lacks early speed, and #3 Libban will likely inherit the lead under Irad Ortiz Jr. By Laoban, the four-year-old is a stakes winner on the grass and will race with blinkers on in this assignment. She fired a bullet three-eighths on the Oklahoma training oval leading up to the affair to suggest that she will be sent early on. 

#6 Majestic Creed is not proven at the graded level, but she makes a first run since being claimed by Jamie Ness and has flashed early foot on numerous occasions in the past. The Jimmy Creed four-year-old will track the pacesetter from second in the early stages beneath Ruben Silvera. 

Raging Sea towers over the crew and will sit anywhere from third to fifth on the back side, and the Curlin filly will likely be in range throughout behind the expected slow pace as well. The Personal Ensign S. (G1) queen has won five of her last six races dating back to 2023, four of which were graded tallies, and she is undoubtedly near the top of her division currently. I expect her to inch to the fore in early stretch before putting her competition away late with regular rider Flavien Prat in for the journey. 

I think Libban will hang around for a share after dictating things from the break, and I also give an exotics chance to #5 Frosty O Toole. Trained by Mike Dini, the Frosted filly has a consistent kick in the lane and is much better than she showed in the Obeah S. at Delaware Park last time out. The four-year-old will be doing her best work from off the tempo under the guidance of Manny Franco.