Bed O' Roses Odds: Goodnight Olive Should Have No Trouble This Time Over the Expansive Track

Bed O' Roses Odds and Post Positions

Check out our predictions and odds for the Bed O' Roses at Belmont Park!

*Odds provided by author Brian Zipse.

Bed O' Roses Predictions and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($50 in total)

• $50 Exacta - Goodnight Olive over Wicked Halo  = $50 
• If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Goodnight Olive (3/5)    

After a very unlucky trip last time broke a seven-race winning streak, Goodnight Olive is back to start a new winning streak when she tops the Grade 2 Bed O’ Roses on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The champion female sprinter last year, she was pinned in with no room to run for the entire stretch and finished third in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff last month at Churchill Downs.

An impressive winner of three consecutive Grade 1 races before that for trainer Chad Brown, she clinched a 2022 Eclipse Award with an emphatic score last fall in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Chief among her challengers in the 7-furlong Bed O’ Roses will be a familiar rival in the Steve Asmussen-trained Wicked Halo.

A multiple graded stakes winner herself, the daughter of Gun Runner finished third behind Goodnight Olive in the Breeders’ Cup, but got the best of her last time when second in the Derby City Distaff. 

Caramel Swirl is another multiple graded stakes winner in the field. The Godolphin homebred comes in off a smart score in the Grade 3 Vagrancy last out for trainer Bill Mott.

Bed O' Roses Predictions and Race Analysis

Goodnight Olive

This champion daughter of Ghostzapper was due for a defeat I guess, because the racing gods gave her no luck at all last time when she finished a beaten third in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff. Crying out for room the entire stretch, she never found it and her long winning streak was over. 

Returning to Belmont Park, where she romped in her only previous start, she should have no trouble this time over the expansive track. With speed to lay close and a monster closing kick, I have little doubt that she is the best female sprinter in the land. 

I see her as a safe bet to get her revenge in the rubber-match with Wicked Halo and return to her winning ways. She is a strong top pick.

Wicked Halo

This gray daughter of Gun Runner has done little wrong in her 13-race career. A graded stakes winner as a 2-year-old, she added four more last year. Her winning streak was ended when beaten by Goodnight Olive in the Breeders’ Cup, but her third-place finish was another solid result. 

Trained by Steve Asmussen, she has come back good this year, with a nice stakes score at Oaklawn Park, before keeping Goodnight Olive trapped the entire way last time at Churchill Downs. 

As good as she is, though, I really believe that Goodnight Olive is just better. Likely to run another strong race, she is most likely to run second behind the champion.

Caramel Swirl

This 5-year-old mare only made it to the races twice last year, but managed to finish second behind Goodnight Olive in the Grade 1 Ballerina in the second of those starts. 

After a mediocre return to the races, she looked good in easily winning the Vagrancy over the track last time. She seems to like Belmont Park and the 7-furlong distance suits her. 

This will be a very tough test for her, but she is coming up to the race in good form. I can’t pick her to beat the top one, but I do consider her a real threat to be the best of the rest.

Beguine

The least accomplished mare in the compact field, this daughter of Gun Runner comes into Saturday’s big test off a romping win in the slop last time at Belmont Park. 

It came against significantly cheaper than she will see in this field, but it does illustrate that she has returned at 4 in top form. In fact, she could be ready to take a step forward off a decent 3-year-old season. 

Having said that, she has only managed to win twice in nine starts and now faces the best of the division. She has the speed to get the early lead, but I can’t see her going all the way. 

Dr B

A beaten favorite last time when second behind Caramel Swirl in the Vagrancy, this 5-year-old daughter of Liam’s Map was hampered on the turn, and could have made it a race otherwise. 

An impressive gate to wire winner of the one-mile Go For Wand Stakes in the start before that, which came back in December, she will look to improve in her second start of the year. 

She’s proven herself a nice one-turn mare, but falls short against top competition like she will see here. I cannot pick her to beat the top ones on Saturday.

How to Watch the Bed O' Roses

• What: Bed O' Roses (Grade 2)
• Location: Belmont Park
• Time: Saturday, June 17 -- 5:19 pm Eastern time
• How to Watch: Fox Sports
• Purse: $200,000