2016 Belmont Derby Invitational Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational will be contested this Saturday, July 9 from Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Horses three years old will be featured when they take to Belmont Park's turf track and race 1 1/4 miles for the winner's share of the $1.25 million purse.

A full field of 13 have been confirmed for the Belmont Derby Invitational - race 8 on Belmont Park's stacked Stars and Stripes Festival Saturday card. Post time is 4:38 PM. Let's take a look into the past performances of all 13 combatants for this lucrative Grade 1 stakes.

2016 Belmont Derby Invitational Contenders at Belmont Park

Long Island Sound 7-2 - Aidan O'Brien trained Irish bred colt has been very good in his four race career - three wins and a third place finish. He makes his North American debut Saturday off a third in the Group 3 Tercentenary at Ascot June 16 and three straight wins to start his career. Long Island Sound has been competitive every time out and hopes to keep the roll going from post 7. Colm O'Donoghue will be in the reins of the tepid morning line favorite from post 7.

Deauville 4-1 - Irish bred Aidan O'Brien trained colt has two wins and two seconds in six career starts. He won the Group 3 Tyros at Leopardstown last July and was second in the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket in September and has been up and down since. Last time out was an eleventh in the Grade 1 Investec Derby at Epsom June 2 after an OK second in the Group 2 Betfred Dante Stakes at York in May and a fifth in a Group 1 in October. Deauville has shown form in the past and will be out to rediscover his form after a career-worst effort. Jockey Jamie Spencer will try to accomplish that goal from the outside post 13 as the morning line second choice.

Camelot Kitten 5-1 - Chad Brown trained colt has three wins and two runner-up finishes in six career starts. He finished a strong second in the Grade 3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes as a juvenile at Keeneland October 4 and went on to a disappointing twelfth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. He has just three starts since and has been very good - a second in an Allowance April 13 was followed by a career defining upset win in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7 and another terrific score last time out in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes on this track June 4. Camelot Kitten has been competitive in all except one race and will try for a third straight graded stakes score since adding blinkers Saturday in his longest race to date. Irad Ortiz has the mount on the intriguing co-third choice from gate 6.

Humphrey Bogart 5-1 - Irish bred Richard Hannon trained colt has two wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 10 career starts. He makes his North American debut Saturday having failed to place in his last two starts - both Group stakes races in Britain. He did post a minor stakes win in May but hasn't been great since. Humphrey Bogart hopes to make a statement Saturday with Sean Levey in the irons from gate 10 as the co-third morning line choice.

Highland Sky 8-1 - has six career starts for trainer Barclay Tagg with two wins and two second place finishes. He enters off a respectable second behind Camelot Kitten in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes here June 4 after a good win in the minor $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct April 23, a second in the minor Cutler Bay Stakes at Gulfstream March 26 and an OK sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. He also had a fourth in the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes in September. Highland Sky chases his first graded stakes score and second stakes victory in three starts from gate 4 Saturday. Luis Saez will be in the saddle.

Call Provision 10-1 - will hit the track for just the third time for trainer Chad Brown. His first start was a good one - a maiden score at Aqueduct April 16 and his second resulted in a respectable third in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes on this track June 4. Call Provision has been good in limited action and will try to maintain the upward trend from gate 12. John Velazquez has the mount.

Airoforce 10-1 - Mark Casse trained colt had a very good start to his career - three wins and a second place finish in his first four career starts including a nice win in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November, a second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a win in the Grade 3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes in October. He has been up and down since in four starts since - a second last time out behind the terrific filly Catch a Glimpse in the Grade 3 Penn Mile June 4 followed a fourth in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7, an eighth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes in April and a disappointing tenth, 40 lengths behind in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds February 20. Airoforce had been a force before his last three starts and hopes to regain his early career form from gate 8. Julien Leparoux rides.

Beach Patrol 12-1 - Chad Brown trained colt has placed five of six career starts - two wins, two seconds and a third place finish. Last time out he finished a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Penn Mile June 4 after a respectable second behind Camelot Kitten in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita April 3 and a maiden win March 12. Beach Patrol had been competitive every time out before a dud last time out and hopes for a bounce back from post 9 Saturday with Javier Castellano aboard.

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Surgical Strike 15-1 - has three wins, a second and three third place finishes in 11 career starts for trainer Ben Colebrook. Last time out was a good win in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic May 28 after consecutive thirds in graded stakes company - the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7 and the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes April 2 at Turfway Park. He also had a nice win in the minor John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park March 12 and a third in the minor WEBN Stakes on that track in March. Surgical Strike will be after his second graded straight stakes score and has placed in five straight races (all stakes) ahead of this weekend. Jockey Ortiz will attempt to keep a nice streak going from post 5 Saturday.

Ralis 20-1 - has 12 career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill with two wins and three second place finishes. He enters off consecutive runner-up finishes - the minor Rainbow Stakes last time out June 18 and the minor Snow Chief Stakes May 28 - both at Santa Anita. He wasn't great before that however - a tenth in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs May 7 followed a fifth in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in April, a tenth in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park March 19, a fourteenth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a sixth in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes October 3 at Belmont Park. He did have a good win in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes September 7 and a second in the minor Graduation at Del Mar August 5 but has struggled in top company since. Ralis has been wildly inconsistent, has looked very good at times in his 12 starts and hopes for his first win in nearly a year Saturday. Mario Gutierrez has been tabbed to ride.

Aquaphobia 20-1 - has two wins, a second and a third place finish in four career starts for trainer Arnaud Delacour. He enters off a good win in the minor Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park June 22 which followed a second in the minor James W. Murphy Stakes at Pimlico May 21, a third in an Allowance at Keeneland April 13 and a maiden score at first asking in February. Aquaphobia steps into graded stakes company for the first time having improved every time out. Jockey Joe Bravo will try to keep that trend going from post 11.

Toughest `Ombre 30-1 - has just one win in seven career starts for trainer Thomas Albertrani and has failed to place in his six others. Last time out was an OK fourth in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes on this track June 4 after an unsuccessful stakes debut - a seventh in the minor Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct April 23, a maiden score at Tampa Bay March 4 and a trio of fourth place finishes - one coming on this track. Toughest `Ombre hasn't been all that impressive so far but will be looking to make a statement from the rail Saturday with Manuel Franco in the irons.

Applicator 50-1 - has an astounding 16 career starts already for trainer Mikhail Yanakov with just two wins, a second and a third place finish. He enters off a career best effort - a win in the minor Gleaming Stakes at Gulfstream May 28 after failing to place in his previous seven starts. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday looking to build on his only good effort in eight months when he departs from gate 3 with Leonel Reyes guiding him.

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2016 Belmont Derby Invitational Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Belmont Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:38 PM.