Bold Ruler Handicap 2014 at Belmont Park

Las Vegas, NV – Belmont Park in Elmont, New York will play host to the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap this Saturday, October 25. Horses three years old and upward will be featured as they dash seven furlongs on Belmont Park’s main track for a purse of $200,000.

A competitive field of seven older horses will line up in the Bold Ruler – race 3 on Belmont Park’s Saturday schedule. Post time is 1:52 PM. Here is a glimpse into the past performances of all seven entries for this Grade 3 stakes.

Romansh – Thomas Albertini trained colt is coming off disappointing eighth in the Grad 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga August 30 and a seventh in the Grade 1 Whitney August 2 which followed another disappointing fifth in the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont Park July 5. But he did have a decent third behind Palace Malice and Goldencents in the Grade 1 Met Mile June 7 with a 108 Beyer Speed Figure and a terrific win in the Grade 3 Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct March 22. He was last of eleven in the uber-competitive Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream February 9 but then had a nice 9 /4 length win with a 110 Beyer Speed Figure in the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct November 2 – inconsistent to say the least. Romansh has four wins and two third place finishes in 13 career starts but has won two of his last seven overall with four off the board finishes over that span. Hopes are that a try around one turn will help. Jose Ortiz has been tabbed to this unpredictable colt from gate 2.

River Rocks – John Terranova trained colt has three wins and a second place finish in four starts this year and has five wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 11 career starts. Last time out was a very good second to Vyjack in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap on this track September 27 which followed three straight Allowance scores. He has three wins and two seconds in his last five starts overall and enters this weekend in very good form. Joel Rosario rides from gate 6.

Salutos Amigos – had a tidy three race win streak in the spring and has placed in three races of four races since – thirds in the Grade 2 True North Stakes and the Belmont Sprint Championship on this track were followed by a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming August 31. Last time out was an OK fourth in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes here September 27. He has placed in six of his last seven starts overall with three wins over that span but hopes to bounce back from a fourth last time out. Cornelio Velasquez has the call from gate 4.

Joe Tess – has placed in seven of eight starts this year and eight of 10 career starts. Last time out was a third in the minor Punch Line Stakes at Laurel Park September 13 which followed a distant tenth in his only graded stakes start – the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park in July. He looks for his first stakes win Saturday with Javier Castellano aboard from post 5.

Bold Ruler Handicap betting online at Belmont Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Sage Valley – has just one start in 2014 for trainer Rudy Rodriguez – a second in an Allowance at Laurel Park October 3 after 10 months away. Before the layoff was a pair of fifths including the minor Spooky Mulder Stakes in December and the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap in November. He looked good last summer – wins in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap and the Grade 3 James Marvin Stake being the highlights but has placed in just one of his last five starts overall. Sage Valley hopes to get back to his 2013 form with Irad Ortiz in the irons from post 3.

Confrontation – Barclay Tagg trained gelding had been impressive in his eight race career – five wins, a second and a third place finish. He made his stakes debut last time out and finished a very disappointing ninth in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 30 after a two race win streak – both Allowance Optional Claiming. He hopes to change his graded stakes fortunes around this Saturday with Joe Bravo in the saddle from the.

Cease – had his best career result in October, 2012 – a second in the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup but has been up and down since. Cease raced to a ninth in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Marathon – his last graded stakes try. Last time out was a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track September 18 which followed a fifth, a third, another fifth and another third in Claiming races. Cease looks for his first win since December when he lines up from the outside post with Manuel Franco aboard.

Race 3 on Belmont Park’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 1:52 PM.