A huge weekend of horse racing action is set for Belmont Park this Saturday, which will be headlined by the final Triple Crown race of the 2023 season- the Belmont Stakes. However, there is fascinating action on the undercard, including the G1 Metropolitan Handicap.
Before Betting On Metropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, or Met Mile, has been run annually at Belmont Park since 2014. It is one of the most lucrative races run over a mile in the United States outside of the Breeders’ Cup. This contest is run over a mile, and it has been won by a number of legendary horses throughout history, including Gulch, Ghostzapper, and Native Dancer.
The betting for this year’s race is headed by Cody’s Wish for trainer William Mott. This runner was the standout contender on the dirt over a mile last season, landing the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile back in November. He returned to action in excellent fashion in May, landing the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes with a speed rating of 110.
A number of interesting runners that were competing in the Triple Crown last season will be taking on Cody’s Wish this weekend, including Zandon for trainer Chad Brown. The four-year-old could only finish second on his season reappearance in the G3 Westchester, behind Repo Rocks.
Repo Rocks could be the standout contender this weekend, having won four from five starts this season. His only defeat came in the G1 Carter Handicap, but he still finished a very credible second. His return effort against Zandon could be the key factor for many.
Metropolitan Handicap Odds & Pick
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Cody’s Wish | +140 |
| Repo Rocks | +400 |
| Zandon | +500 |
| Charge It | +600 |
| Slow Down Andy | +1000 |
| Dr. Schivel | +1000 |
| White Abarrio | +1000 |
| Doppelganger | +2000 |
| Hoist The Gold | +3000 |
It is worth remembering that this race was won 12 months ago by subsequent Breeders’ Cup Classic victor Flightline, which means that we could see a star this weekend. Cody’s Wish ticks all the boxes, and we find it challenging to overlook the champion over this distance. At a price, Doppelganger could be among the more progressive contenders, and he could take a place near the line.
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