Pennine Ridge Stakes, Picks, Best Bets (Belmont Park)

Check out our predictions and odds for the 2022 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park! Odds taken from TwinSpires!

Pennine Ridge Stakes Predictions and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($40 in total)

$20 Exacta Box – Unanimous Consent and Emmanuel = $40

If you’re playing only to win, go with my top pick Unanimous Consent (9/5).

Chad Brown, the undisputed King of American turf racing, holds a strong hand in Saturday’s Grade 2 Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park with his pair of 3-year-olds Unanimous Consent and Napoleonic War.

Unanimous Consent could go favored on the strength of an unbeaten record in three starts. He comes into the 9 furlong test off a decisive victory in the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct six weeks ago.

The son of Almanzor had previously scored similar victories in a maiden race at Monmouth Park last year, and an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs in February.

Napoleonic War, meanwhile, had to work harder for a nose victory in a recent allowance race at Belmont Park. The winner of 2-of-3 lifetime, he had a troubled trip when fourth in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland in the start before that.

Two horses making their turf debuts on Saturday could pose the biggest threats to the Brown pair. Emmanuel was a solid third behind Zandon in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes for trainer Todd Pletcher and has plenty of turf in his pedigree.

Trainer Christophe Clement is always a threat in New York turf racing and could be in the Pennine Ridge with the import Elizar. The son of Dariyan will be making his American debut after easily winning his only start in France on an all-weather surface.

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Pennine Ridge Stakes Predictions and Race Analysis

Unanimous Consent

This son of Almanzor has the look of becoming the next grass star for trainer Chad Brown. A promising debut winner last September at Monmouth Park, he has continued his winning ways with two more so far in 2022.

In both an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs and then the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct, the unbeaten English-bred has made it look easy as he tracked the early pace setters before blowing by in the stretch with an explosive turn of foot.

This promises to be his toughest test yet, especially if Emmanuel takes to the grass as expected, but it’s hard to look past him as the horse to beat. He is the top pick.

Napoleonic War

The second from the Brown barn also looks like a dangerous contender. He also has run three nice races on the turf to begin his career, but not quite with the same flare as his stablemate.

After a nice win in his unveiling at Tampa Bay Downs, he had the worst of it in a graded stakes race at Keeneland when beaten less than two lengths. He rebounded nicely last time to win over a solid allowance field at Belmont Park by a nose.

Yet another one from his barn who looks to have a very bright future, I am siding with two others in this spot.

Emmanuel

In a race without much pace, this good looking son of More Than Ready should be ready to roll right out of the starting gate as he takes to the turf for the first time.

After two nice wins to begin his career for trainer Todd Pletcher, he proved himself graded stakes worthy with a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and then a third in the Grade 1 Blue Grass.

With that experience under his belt, he moves to the grass and has the pedigree to succeed. While the top pick looks like a budding turf star, this one could prove a very difficult horse to run down, especially if they leave him alone on the front end for too long.

Elizar

This French import has only run one time and it actually came on an all-weather surface at Chantilly last fall. The result was an easy victory, but it’s hard to know about the level of company behind him. Now he makes his first start in the U.S. after a significant layoff and tries turf for the first time.

This looks like a tough spot for all the firsts, but he is certainly bred for grass and has landed in the top turf barn of Christophe Clement. I think he likely has a bright future over hear, but I need to see a race before I’m ready to back him against these.

Limited Liability

Trainer Shug McGaughey brings this son of Kitten’s Joy back to Belmont after getting his 3-year-old season off to a nice start with a late running win at Keeneland in a solid allowance field.

An impressive debut winner at Saratoga, he took two shots at graded stakes races last year after the maiden score and was third in each. He didn’t get much early pace in either to set up his rally and I’m not sure if there will be much more in this one.

He’s run well in each of his four starts, and I like his closing kick, but I will wait to play him at this level with either more early speed in the race or at a longer distance.

Daunt

This son of Nyquist finished sixth behind Napoleonic War last time in a Belmont allowance race. It was his first race of the year, so he is eligible to improve off the effort. Last year, he won once in three starts and that victory came in a Belmont maiden race.

His effort to close out 2021 was pretty solid, finishing third in the Awad Stakes, but still likely a cut below the top ones here. He looks like a deserving longshot. I like others better.

Gilded Age (Main Track Only)

This one will only run if the race is taken off the turf and switched to the main track. With the weather forecast looking pretty good on Saturday, the race will likely stay on the grass and he will be scratched. If somehow it does switch to dirt, he would be a solid contender behind Emmanuel.

How to Watch the Pennine Ridge Stakes