Fri 15/09/2017 - 11:51 EDT

Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Picks

Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Picks

Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Preview

Making his North American debut in the Northern Dancer, Hawkbill (3-5 in the morning line) is a Kentucky bred who has done most of his running in the UK, with couple trips to France and most recently Germany, where he finished second in a Group 1 behind a horse that has since come back to win again at the graded-stakes level.

For his career he's won eight of 17 races overall, with five wins at the stakes level. He's also getting lasix medication for the first time, and that often moves a horse forward a bit. Add that to his class and recent form, and he's a worthy top choice in this field. How he'll handle the travel and the Woodbine turf remains to be seen, but talent-wise he's the one to beat.

Coming in off a second-place run in the local prep for this race, Woodbine-based trainer Malcom Pierce has another Kentucky bred in Noble Thought (5-1) a four-year-old colt who had been very succesful at the allowance level before trying grade-stakes company for the first time this year. He was sixth on the tapeta surface at Woodbine in that effort, but got back on the turf last time out to finish a good second in the (G2) Sky Classic Stakes.

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Old Timer Still Knows How to Win

One of Noble Thought's losses early in the year came at Tampa Bay Downs at the hands of Johnny Bear, a tempting choice for the bottom of exactas and trifectas at ML odds of 12-1.

While definitely taking a step up in class to confront the likes of Hawkbill, this veteran six-year-old has been in the money in six of his last eight tries, with four wins, the last of those in his first lifetime stakes try, albeit in a race that was restricted to Canadian breds.

Expect him to be in the mix early, and try to hold on for a piece.

Rounding out the top four, trainer Graham Motion has Messi (4-1) who has not found the winner's cirlce in awhile, but who took the Sky Classic last year and so has an affinity for the track. He just missed last out in a tough allowance-level race at Saratoga, finishing third by a half-length after a solid stretch drive.  

The Northern Dancer Turf Stakes goes Saturday, September 16 from Woodbine Race Track in Toronto. Post time is 5:31 PM Eastern. It's race #10 of the 13-race card, and the first of two Grade 1 stakes on the day. You can bet the full day's action through Bovada or one of our other top-rated racebooks. 

Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Entries

  1. English Illusion (20-1)
  2. Camp Creek (20-1)
  3. Noble Thought (5-1) 
  4. Messi (4-1)
  5. Pumpkin Rumble (12-1) 
  6. Seeking Albert (20-1)
  7. Johnny Bear (15-1) 
  8. Hawkbill (3-5)  

Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Picks

  • #8 - Hawkbill
  • #3 - Noble Thought
  • #7 - Johnny Bear
  • #4 - Messi 

Category : Betting Picks

Tag : Horse Betting , odds , woodbine race track

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