2017 Bold Ruler Handicap Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Belmont Park in Elmont, New York will be the scene of the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap on Saturday, October 28. A purse of $200,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to saddle up and go seven furlongs on Belmont Park's dirt track.

The Bold Ruler Handicap has attracted a field of 11 to go in race 9 on Belmont Park's packed Saturday card. Post time is 4:49 PM. Let's take a brief glance into the past performances of all 11 entries for this intriguing G3 stakes.

2017 Bold Ruler Handicap Entries at Belmont Park

Seymourdini 3-1

Has placed in eight of nine career starts for trainer Linda Rice. He arrives on a three-race Allowance Optional Claiming win streak - the last coming on this track July 3 and the other at Laurel Park in the spring. Before that was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Parx in December and a seventh in his only graded stakes action to date - the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes on this track in June, 2016. Seymourdini steps up having not been touched this year and will have Jose Ortiz aboard the morning line favorite from post 9.

Divining Rod 7-2

Has placed in 14 of 16 career starts for trainer Arnaud Delacour - five wins, four seconds and five third place finishes. 2015 results include a second in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes, a third in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby (both at Tampa Bay), a terrific win in the G3 Lexington Stakes and three straight thirds including the Preakness Stakes, the minor Ohio Derby and the G2 Indiana Derby. He ended 2015 with a fifth in the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes in August before being sent to the sidelines for 13 months. Since his return to action Divining Rod has three wins and three seconds in seven starts. Last time out a second with a 104 Beyer Speed Figure in the G2 Kelso Handicap here September 23 after a fourth in the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 and a win with a lofty 106 BRIS Speed Rating in the minor Polynesian Stakes at Laurel Park August 12. Before that were consecutive seconds - the G1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in November and the G2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland last October and two Allowance Optional Claiming scores. Divining Rod has been a factor every time out and hopes to snap a two-race losing streak from the outside post 11. Daniel Centeno has been tabbed to ride the second betting choice.

Bet Belmont Park Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Stallwalkin' Dude 4-1

Defending champion in this race - David Jacobson trained millionaire gelding has 19 wins (seven stakes), eight seconds and nine third place finishes in 57 career starts and enters in so-so form. He has four wins, four seconds and two third-place finishes in his last 12 starts overall. Last time out was a third in the G1 Vosburgh Stakes on this track September 30 after an eighth after tiring in the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 and a win in the minor Tale of the Cat Stakes on that track August 11. Before that was a fourth in the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship July 8, a second in the G2 True North Stakes here June 9, a good 1 3/4 length win in the listed Diablo Stakes on this track May 7, a sixth in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan in March and a second in the G3 General George Handicap at Laurel Park February 18. Other results include a win in the minor Gravesend Stakes, a second in the G3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct and his good win in the 2016 G3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park. Stallwalkin' Dude has been pretty good the last 17 months but will be in search of his first graded stakes win since last year's edition of this race. Irad Ortiz gets the call from post 7.

Mr. Crow 5-1

Todd Pletcher trained colt has just four career starts with two wins and a second-place finish. He made his stakes debut last time out and finished sixth in the G1 Vosburgh Stakes on this track September 30 after a 6 1/4 length Allowance score at Saratoga August 30, a maiden score on that track July 22 (the two wins by an impressive combined 17 3/4 lengths with triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures) and a second in his debut - on this track June 24. Mr. Crow looked a tad out of place in his step up last time out and will be out for a strong bounce back from gate 10. Luis Saez has the mount.

Tom's Ready 8-1

Dallas Stewart trained colt has just four wins in 19 career starts to go along with four runner-ups and three third-place finishes. He enters off consecutive thirds - the G2 Kelso Handicap last time out September 23 and the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed one of his wins - the minor Leemat Stakes at Presque Isle Downs July 9. Before that was a seventh in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10, an OK third in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6 and a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He also had a win in the G3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs last October 1 and another win in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park June 11, 2016. Other results include a twelfth in the 2016 Kentucky Derby, a second in the G2 Louisiana Derby last March 26 and a second in the G3 LeComte Stakes in January of 2016. Tom's Ready has been a tad up and down in his career but has placed in three straight ahead of this weekend. Joel Rosario tries to keep a decent streak going from gate 6.

Tommy Macho 10-1

Has placed in 13 of 18 career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher - five wins, a second and seven third-place finishes. He won the G3 Discovery Handicap by 4 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct to end his 2015 campaign and has been OK in 11 starts since. He enters off a fourth in the G2 Kelso Handicap here September 23 which followed a seventh in the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 and four straight third-place finishes - the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship July 8, the G1 Metropolitan Handicap June 10, the G1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct April 8 and in the G3 Gulfstream Park Handicap February 11. Before that was a terrific 5 3/4 length win at Gulfstream in the G3 Hal's Hope Stakes January 14. He also had a good 3 3/4 length win in the G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream in 2016. Tommy Macho has struggled lately after placing in five straight starts. He tries to snap a funk from post 5 with Javier Castellano aboard.

Tale of S'avall 12-1

Barclay Tagg trained colt has four wins, a second and two third-place finishes in 14 career starts. Last time out was a fifth in the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track July 28, a seventh in the G3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 8, a third in the G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March and another Allowance Optional Claiming score in January. He has been good against lesser company but has yet to post a stakes win. Jockey Manuel Franco hopes to change all of that from the rail Saturday.

Awesome Banner 15-1

Kenneth Decker trained colt has placed in 14 of 20 career starts - six wins (five stakes), six seconds and two third place finishes. He won his first three career starts including the G3 Hutcheson Stakes in January, 2016 and the G2 Swale Stakes in February of last year and struggled in his next two graded stakes starts. He picked up his game after that - three wins and three seconds in six starts since including a second in the minor Steel Valley Sprint Stakes at Mahoning Valley November 21, two minor stakes scores and consecutive seconds including the G3 Carry Back Stakes at Gulfstream last July. He enters off an OK nose second in the G2 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Keeneland October 6 which followed a fourth in the G3 Frank J. Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park September 16 and consecutive close seconds - the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga July 29 and the G3 Smile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream July 1. Before that was a third in the G3 Maryland Sprint at Pimlico May 20. Awesome Banner has looked good in training, he searches for his first graded stakes score in two years and arrives having placed in four of his last five starts overall. Jose Lezcano will be in the saddle from gate 2.

Beasley 20-1

Mark Hennig trained colt has placed in five of his six career starts. He enters on a two-race win streak - both Allowance races with the last coming on his track September 30. Before that was a fifth in his only graded stakes result to date - the G2 Tampa Bay Derby March 11 and consecutive seconds in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Gulfstream Park to start 2017. Beasley arrives in career-best form and will chase a first stakes score from gate 8. Junior Alvarado has the mount.

Ready for Rye 20-1

2015 winner of the G2 Swale Stakes has placed in 17 of 22 career starts for trainer Thomas Albertrani - six wins, five seconds and six third-place finishes. He won two minor stakes races in the summer of 2015 and has been decent since. Last time out was a second in the minor Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational here October 7 after a fifth in the minor Lucky Coin Stakes at Saratoga September 1 and a sixth in the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on that track July 29. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park June 18, a third in the G3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct November 24, a fifth in the minor Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational last October, a tenth in the G1 Forego Stakes in August, 2016 and consecutive thirds - the G3 Belmont Sprint Championship last July and the G3 Jaipur Invitational in June of last year. Ready for Rye has been a tad tough to figure out and will be after a first stakes score in over 2 years - from post 3 with Joe Bravo aboard.

Green Gratto 30-1

Gaston Grant trainee won the 2015 G3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct but has been up and down since. He arrives in less-than-spectacular form - a seventh last time out in the G1 Vosburgh Stakes on this track September 30 followed another seventh in the G1 Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga July 29 and consecutive fifths - the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship July 8 and the G2 True North Stakes here June 9. Before that was a fourth in the competitive listed Diablo Stakes May 7 and a terrific win at 54-1 in the G1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct April 8. He also had a seventh in the G3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct March 11, a front-running win with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the G3 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct January 16, an OK second behind Stallwalkin' Dude in the minor Gravesend Stakes on this track and three straight off-the-board finishes in graded stakes action. He has placed in just six of 20 graded stakes tries, has nine wins, nine seconds and eight third place finishes in 58 career starts and has failed to hit the board in his last five ahead of this weekend. Kendrick Carmouche tries to change that trend from gate 4.

---