The field at the Knickerbocker Stakes isn't quite as good as those running Belmont Park would have hoped, but there are still a lot of intriguing horses who could make a name for themselves the second Saturday of October.
Let's take a look at Bookmaker's racebook odds for the Knickerbocker Stakes.
ODDS ANALYSIS
1: Middleburg
2: Messi
3: Mexikoma
4: Blingo
5: V.E. Day
6: Hothersal
7: War Dancer
8: Legendary
9: Mr. Speaker
10: All Included
11: Cage Fighter
A huge field is lined up for the Knickerbocker, and that is going to make this race one for bettors for sure. There's no way there is going to be an odds on favorite in this race when the morning lines drop, and we suspect there will be a great case for all of these 11 colts to ultimately take this race down.
Amongst the favorites should be the well-raced War Dancer and All Included, both of which who have huge victories in their careers.
FAVORITE TO FOLLOW
War Dancer isn't often a big favorite, but wherever he goes, he commands respect having raced 22 times already in his career with almost $900,000 in career earnings.
On the turf, War Dancer has done his best work, winning four times and hitting the board in 12 of his 18 career races.
He's coming off of a really strong effort in the Sword Dancer Stakes. Yes, War Dancer finished fourth best, but he still posted a 102 Beyer Speed Rating even though Jose Lezcano pulled him up just a bit at the tail end of the race. Better can be expected, especially at 1 1/8 miles.
UNDERDOG TO WATCH
V.E. Day has over $1 million in career earnings, though much of that is thanks to one fateful day at the Travers' Stakes on the dirt last August. His roots are on the grass though, and trainer James Jerkins has decided to move this four-year old back where he started after some suspect results on the dirt of late.
The good news for V.E. Day is that he is used to running at long distances, something which usually translates well to the switch from dirt to turf. If we get a double-digit price on him, we could certainly see an upset in the making.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
There are really a ton of variables in this race that have to be considered. V.E. Day hasn't raced much on the turf of late. Messi only has three races under his belt in America. Blingo last raced on March 8, 2014.
It's all very interesting for sure.
But here's what we do know. War Dancer is Mr. Consistency. Sure, four wins in 22 races isn't exactly a ringing endorsement, and the fact that he has just one win in his last two years and has never won here at Belmont Park is a concern, but of all of the evils that the Knickerbocker Stakes is providing, we think this is the lesser of them all.
If you can get 4 to 1 or so on War Dancer, we suggest giving it a go, perhaps either as a straight bet or on top of a lot of other horses who could finish second best for a bigger payout.
Play War Dancer to win the Knickerbocker Stakes
The horse racing odds for this Saturday race will first be available the day of the race at BookMaker Sportsbook's racebook. With daily rebates of up to 8% and the ability to parlay wagers online, BookMaker has more options and benefits for you to enjoy than any other online shop. Enjoy the thrill of betting on every major track in North America without ever leaving your couch!
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