How to bet With, and Against, The Foxes in the Belmont Derby

Belmont Park (Photo by NYRA/Coglianese Photography)

July 7th, 2023

A talented field of 11 three-year-olds will go 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf in Saturday’s lucrative $750,000 Belmont Derby (G1). Two-time Group 2 victor #11 The Foxes (7-2), who was most recently fifth in the Epsom Derby (G1), is the one to be for conditioner Andrew Balding.

Bred in Ireland, the three-year-old son of Churchill was unplaced in his first pair of runs as a juvenile but captured his final two races in 2022, capped by a tally in the Royal Lodge S. (G2) at Newmarket. The bay was a fine runner-up in his sophomore debut, which preceded a Group 2 tally at York when going 1 5/16 miles. He now cuts back to a more favorable distance in this spot, and the expensive yearling purchase should avoid traffic from the outside post as well. Regular pilot Oisin Murphy comes in to ride, which is a positive.

#10 Redistricting (8-1) will make just his second lifetime start in a daunting event, but I love the confidence shown by conditioner Chad Brown to put him against this cast. A superb debut winner on the course, the son of Kingman can be almost any kind going forward, and the gelding is worth a chance despite being lightly raced. The Klaravich color bearer displayed a dynamic turn of foot in his lone appearance to date and shows a trio of solid morning drills in the interim. The price is right with fine turf jock Flavien Prat in the irons.

Charles Appleby’s #6 Silver Knott (6-1) will make his third start of the season and was last seen closing for third on the surface. The bay colt concluded his smart two-year-old campaign with a nose defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), and he shows a pair of swift morning moves on this course, as well. The Godolphin homebred will have Richard Mullen in the stirrups.

Brown’s #8 Kalik (5-1) has improved his Brisnet Speed number with each career outing and rides in on a three-race win streak. This chestnut son of Collected has led in wire-to-wire fashion in two straight outings and will be dangerous if left alone up top once again with Irad Ortiz Jr. riding this colt.