Champagne Stakes Picks —Betting Preview and Predictions (Oct 4)

Early action on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is set for Belmont at the Big A this weekend, as the G1 Champagne Stakes will be contested by horses aged two over a distance of a mile. You can find the odds and our picks for the race here.

Odds

Champagne Stakes Recent Winners

Champagne Stakes: Event Information

Race Preview

High-quality action at Belmont at the Big A continues this weekend, with an early race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby coming in the form of the G1 Champagne Stakes. The winner of this weekend’s race will also secure their spot in next month’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

The betting on Saturday will likely be headed by the extremely talented Thomas Amoss-trained It’s Our Time. He was an exceptional winner on debut in mid-August, beating Hero Declared by a staggering 18-length margin at Saratoga. Up in distance this weekend, but is extremely exciting.

Curtain Call will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of his father, Tiz The Law, by winning the Champagne Stakes. He was third at Saratoga in the G1 Hopeful at the start of September, but this step up to a mile makes him extremely interesting in this company.

Talkin and Napoleon Solo both come into this weekend with progressive profiles, with each winning on their first starts. Universe also follows the same theme for trainer Kenneth McPeek, and could be interesting after dominating a decent field at Saratoga over seven furlongs at the end of August.

Stradale is also worth considering for the Steven Asmussen yard. However, the two-year-old does have questions to answer after being beaten on both of his career starts.

Champagne Stakes Picks

It’s Our Time looks extremely smart, and he could be very difficult to beat in the Champagne Stakes this weekend. However, a chance could be taken on Mark Casse-trained Just Asap. After winning on debut, he stepped up to a mile last time but was only narrowly denied by a neck in the Sapling Stakes. Aqueduct should suit his running style better, and he could be an over-priced selection.