Belmont Park: Picks and plays for Oct. 10 Breeders' Cup preps

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series continues in a big way Saturday at Belmont Park, with a quartet of Grade 1 “Win and You’re In” qualifiers.

One of the highlights is the Champagne (G1) for 2-year-olds, which also serves as a Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race. We’ve already taken a deep dive into the Champagne field, but we would be remiss for failing to analyze the other Grade 1 races.

Let’s dig in and play trifectas on a $100 budget in the remaining featured events.

Race 5: Frizette (G1, 2:30 p.m. ET)

#1 Vequist (2-1) was a powerful winner of the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga, where she tracked the pace and powered clear to win by 9 1/2 lengths.

#2 Cantata (9-5) was a spectacular debut winner at Saratoga, where she won eased up by 10 1/4 lengths.

Both are logical contenders, but it might be a mistake to overlook #5 Dayoutoftheoffice (3-1).

Dayoutoftheoffice is unbeaten and unchallenged in two starts, and she scored a particularly easy six-length victory in the Schuylerville (G3) at Saratoga.

She fits well in terms of Brisnet Speed ratings and has been training strongly for the Frizette, so let’s make Dayoutoftheoffice the key to our wagers.

$7.50 trifecta: 5 with 1,2 with 1,2 ($15)
$7.50 trifecta: 1,2 with 5 with 1,2 ($15)
Total: $30

Race 8: Flower Bowl (G1, 4:14 p.m. ET)

#3 Civil Union (3-1) enjoyed a perfect trip in the Glens Falls (G2) at Saratoga last month, when she tracked an extremely slow pace and held off #2 My Sister Nat (3-1) to win by a length.

These capable 5-year-olds should thrive over the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Flower Bowl, with the intensity of the early pace likely to determine which prevails.

Let’s key them both in the trifecta, with #1 Cambier Parc (5-2), #5 Beau Belle (12-1), and #6 Nay Lady Nay (7-2) underneath.

$2.50 trifecta: 2,3 with 2,3 with 1,5,6 ($15)
$2.50 trifecta: 2,3 with 1,5,6 with 2,3 ($15)
Total: $30

Race 9: Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1, 4:48 p.m. ET)

#4 Tacitus (1-1) romped over this track and 1 1/4-mile distance in the July 4 Suburban (G2), then faltered to finish second in the Sept. 5 Woodward (G1) at Saratoga off a two-month layoff. The consistent son of Tapit has trained sharply since his setback and should be ready for a rebound in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

We’ll bet Tacitus on top in the trifecta and key the undefeated 3-year-old #1 Happy Saver (2-1) underneath.

$10 trifecta: 4 with 1 with 2,5 ($20)
$10 trifecta: 4 with 2,5 with 1 ($20)
Total: $40

Good luck!