undercard excitement

Whether or not there is a Triple Crown on the line, I view the Belmont Stakes as a big event not only because of the tradition surrounding the oldest classic race in the United States but also because of the undercard that the New York Racing Association puts together to support the Test of the Champion.

Exclusive of the Breeders' Cup, the Belmont Stakes program is consistently my favorite day to bet the races top to bottom (i.e., every race seems to offer an opportunity). Rounding out the top three would be Big Cap day at Santa Anita Park and Travers Day at Saratoga Race Course. Rounding out the top five would be Arlington Million day at Arlington Park and Jockey Club Gold Cup day at Belmont. Rounding out the top ten are the other two Triple Crown races, the two-year-old days at Churchill in November, and Blue Grass day at Keeneland.

I didn't include Oaks day because the weather always stinks. Gulfstream put some good cards together this year, particularly in support of the Fountain of Youth Stakes, but I didn't include it because the track's stakes schedule shifts around so much, you really can't count on any one day being the same year to year. Fair Grounds and Calder Race Course (both Churchill Downs Inc.-owned tracks) deserve honorable mentions as tracks able to string together solid betting races on their big days.

Back to the Belmont card, though, which is definitely my favorite, and this year does not look as if it will disappoint.

Forever Together, my favorite horse in training right now (more on her later this week) is scheduled to run in the Just a Game. She is a free square in all pick Ns involved in her race, and while her race may not be competitive from a betting standpoint, I'm excited that she'll have the opportunity to shine on this stage (in addition to the large on-track crowd, the race will be on espn2).

There's two other Grade 1 races in the Acorn and Manhattan plus the Grade 2 Woody Stephens for three-year-old sprinters and the Grade 2 True North Handicap for older sprinters. The surrounding overnight races will no doubt feature solid allowance horses and rising stars.

With a pair of $1-million guaranteed pools in the pick six and pick four plus $75-million churning through the pools on a baker's dozen races throughout the day (I'm using the handle figure from 2007, the last time a Triple Crown wasn't on the line), I'm very much looking forward to being a part of this big event from simulblast land since I won't be on site in Elmont.

What are some of your favorite days of racing? Do you wager differently on big days at the big tracks than you would on a Wednesday at Yavapai? Will you watch on ESPN/ABC or head to the track?

For more information on the history of Belmont Stakes day undercard events, visit Lisa Grimm's Belmont Stakes blog.