How to bet the 2022 Mr. Prospector Stakes

A competitive field of nine will vie in Saturday’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector S. at Monmouth Park. The contest lacks a standout with legitimate threats throughout the cast, and I will take a shot with a value contender in the heat in the first and second slot of my plays.

The Jorge Delgado-trained #7 Doc Amster (8-1) comes in fresh off of a nice form run and rates a solid chance with a top showing in the dash. By Midshipman, the five-year-old burned money against lesser in his last voyage. However, he had run some huge races against the likes of the powerful First Captain and Miles Ahead prior to that effort, and he will be a dangerous commodity on Saturday with something resembling those tries.

A close fourth in the Mr. Prospector S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park in December, Doc Amster blitzed a bullet three panels from the gate at Monmouth in advance of Saturday. He has pace but doesn’t need the lead to run well, and he was a winner the last time that he raced off the pine. Regular rider Chantal Sutherland will be up and stalking a rapid early tempo atop the top selection.

I will focus on a pair of contenders for the gimmicks. Chad Summers’ #8 Wendell Fong (8-1) doesn’t win all that often, but the son of Flat Out can run big on his best day and he will also receive a nice pace set up in the sprint. The dark bay six-year-old is not in very consistent form, but I expect him to run a good one from well off of the early pace under Abner Adorno.

#9 Hollywood Jet (6-1) has not been headed in seven straight races and is a must use for Carlos Milian. The four-year-old son of Uncaptured proved his class with a stakes victory three starts back, and the Florida-bred draws outside of the other pace in the field. He is an obvious threat to take this field from gate-to-wire with regular jock Luis Ocasio in the controls.

Mr. Prospector Wagers

• $15 win and place: #7 Doc Amster ($30)
• $5 exacta: key box 7 with 8, 9 ($20)