Manhattan Stakes 2021 Entries & Post Positions

The $750,000 Grade I Manhattan is the final race on the Belmont undercard and will serve up a fine run-in to the Belmont Stakes itself.

With the likes of Colonel Liam and Domestic Spending in the field. We might have a classic on our hands. Our editor has an overview of the field.

So yeah. Colonel Liam. He’s pretty good. So far in 2021 he’s won the Pegasus World Cup Turf down at Gulfstream, followed that up with a win in the Muniz Memorial at Fair Grounds before being part of a dead-heat in the Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard with Domestic Spending (who is also running here) so fair to say that he’s fast, in form and at 5-2 on the Morning Line - potentially good betting value if that price stays.

Domestic Spending (3-1) though will have plenty to say about that. He beat Colonel Liam in the Saratoga Derby last year and of course tied with him on the Derby undercard last month. Between those two races he also won the Hollywood Derby out at Del Mar. This will be their rubber match and could be an absolutely phenomenal match-up.

When Belmont Derby 2020 winner Gufo (5-1) is relegated to third choice - you know it is a fantastic field. He only has one outing so far in 2021 when he was beaten into second place by Channel Cat at the Man O’ War Stakes here at Belmont. Tough to be a star when there are two greats in the same division. It reminds me a bit of Andy Roddick who has a mighty fine tennis player but in an era where Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal flat out dominated - mighty fine was never getting it done on a regular basis.

I’ve always been quite the fan of Rockemperor who doesn’t win big races but always seems to run well. At 8-1 on the Morning Line this son of a Group I winner in both Ireland and France - Holy Roman Emperor - has every chance to hit the board and muscle in on the best of rest behind the two big favorites.

Master Piece (6-1) seems very short to me coming off the back of an allowance win at Keeneland. This Latin American shipper should drift in the pools. Tribhuvan (8-1) looks a better bet having won the Fort Marcy at Belmont last month.

Channel Cat, City Man and Bye Bye Melvin round out the field of ten.

Here at HorseRacing.net we'll have comprehensive coverage of the action at Belmont Park throughout the week and on Belmont Stakes day itself. Our in-house handicapper will be handicapping the cards in-depth on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with our turf-man also providing his thoughts on all the Graded Stakes races throughout. They will also provide their thoughts on all the runners in the Belmont Stakes. So keep checking back with us all week for coverage of the Belmont Stakes and all the undercard races.

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