Peter Pan Stakes: The Likely Favorite Is the Undefeated Colt Bishops Bay

Check out our predictions and odds for the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park!

*Odds provided by author Brian Zipse.

Peter Pan Stakes Predictions and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($60 in total)

$10 Exacta Part Wheel - Slip Mahoney over Classic Catch, Henry Q, and Bishops Bay = $30 

$10 Exacta Part Wheel - Classic Catch, Bishops Bay, and Henry Q over Slip Mahoney  = $30

If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Slip Mahoney (9/2).    

Serving as the final local prep race for the June 10 Belmont Stakes, a field of nine sophomore colts are set to go in Saturday’s Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park.

The likely favorite is the undefeated colt Bishops Bay. Trained by Brad Cox, the son of Uncle Mo will be making his stakes debut on Saturday, but has run against some good horses. 

In his debut, he defeated First Mission who will be one of the favorites in this year’s Preakness Stakes. Last out, Bishops Bay proved best against allowance foes at Fair Grounds eight weeks ago.

Chief among his opposition in for the 9-furlong Peter Pan will be the Todd Pletcher-trained Classic Catch. 

A sharp allowance winner two starts back at Gulfstream Park, he made his stakes debut last time in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial. Way back early, his late run only got him fifth that afternoon, but will now add blinkers and top rider Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Just behind Classic Catch in the Wood Memorial was Slip Mahoney. Also from the barn of Brad Cox, the son of Arrogate will look for some better racing luck in his third straight graded stakes try.

In both his sixth-place finish last time, as well as his runner-up result in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, the late runner found trouble and had his chances all but wiped out.

Peter Pan Stakes Predictions and Race Analysis

Bishops Bay

It’s been a very promising start to the racing career of this Uncle Mo colt. A winner of both starts at Fair Grounds, he has beaten some talented horses already. 

In fact, the Brad Cox-trainee beat his stablemate First Mission in both horse’s debut, and that one went on to win the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes and is now being pointed to the Preakness. 

He’s shown good early speed in his first two starts, but drawn to the outside here, he has some fast horses just to his inside. He clearly has as much upside as any horse in the field, but this should be a serious test as he makes his stakes debut.

Classic Catch

There have been a few starts where this son of Classic Empire has fallen way back early and was left with too much to do in the stretch. That was the case last time when he rallied late to finish fifth in the Wood Memorial. 

To keep him more involved early, trainer Todd Pletcher has added blinkers for the Peter Pan. He also gets the services of leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. on Saturday. That combination should help. 

In his two wins, which include a good-looking allowance score two starts back, he was within striking position early. With a solid pace early, I like his chances to finish strongly here. He is a major threat.

Slip Mahoney

If this son of Arrogate ever gets a good trip, he could be a real factor to win. Having run against good horses in each of his five career starts, you know he fits in with this bunch from a class perspective. 

In both of his first two attempts in graded stakes racing, the Gotham and the Wood Memorial, he had serious traffic problems along the way. Still, he finished both with good interest in trainer Brad Cox. 

Perhaps the smaller field, the added room at Belmont Park, and the addition of top rider Joel Rosario will give him the opportunity to show his best on Saturday. In a wide-open race, he is the top pick.

Henry Q

Trained by Doug O’Neil, this son of Blame has been well-traveled since breaking his maiden against claimers three starts back at Santa Anita. Running out of the Todd Fincher barn in New Mexico, he turned in a pair of solid efforts in stakes races at Sunland Park. 

Back with O’Neill, he will now look to use his speed to his advantage at Belmont Park. Both Bishops Bay and Asmodeus figure to also show speed, but he might be the fastest early of the bunch. 

Comparing the New Mexico form to the East Coast horses is a bit of a question mark, but this stakes-experienced colt should not be dismissed.

Arcangelo

This son of Arrogate is one of two horses in the field coming out of a maiden win in their most recent start. It’s never an easy task to jump up from maidens to graded stakes company, but this colt appears to have some promise. 

After a pair of solid efforts to begin his career, he busted out last time. Coming from last early, he flew by his competition to score impressively in fast time. 

He has had a good workout over the track since arriving at Belmont Park and should appreciate the one-turn, 9-furlongs of the Peter Pan. He is a threat.

Go Soldier Go

This Kentucky-bred son of Tapiture returns to America after making his first six starts in Dubai. His results over there were pretty good, with two wins in six starts. 

In fact, two consecutive victories were enough to get him a chance in the rich UAE Derby last time. While he was no match for the impressive winner, Derma Sotogake, he did run reasonably well to finish fifth. 

Coming out of four straight longer races in Dubai, I am not sure what to expect in the Peter Pan, but I would guess the American-based runners will be a little too fast for him early.

Summer Cause

Trained by Christophe Clement, it is a little surprising that this son of Summer Front has not made his way to turf racing yet. 

On dirt, he has been solid, finishing in the top three in all five career starts. After breaking his maiden two starts back at Gulfstream Park, he moved up to stakes competition last time where he finished a decent third in the Federico Tesio at Laurel Park. 

While I like others better on Saturday, he should be considered for the exotics, as a horse who consistently runs well.

Asmodeus

Like Slip Mahoney, this son of Cairo Prince stayed in New York for the winter where he had three races at Aqueduct for trainer William Morey. 

They all came against maidens, but he showed improvement in the last two. He also showed good early speed and could be a part of the early pace on Saturday. 

While his maiden races do show promise, I do not love his chances of moving up into graded stakes competition. 

Game Change

After a solid maiden victory at Gulfstream Park, this son of Candy Ride regressed last time when facing winners for the first time. 

Trained by Shug McGaughey, he was bumped at the start and did no real running after this, finishing sixth by 16 lengths by Classic Catch. 

Only a complete reversal of that last performance would give him a chance on Saturday, but even then, he appears to be an unlikely winner of Peter Pan.

How to Watch the Peter Pan Stakes

Peter Pan Stakes Race Information

• What: Peter Pan Stakes (Grade 3)

• Location: Belmont Park

• Time: Saturday, May 13 -- 3:40 pm Eastern time

• How to Watch: Fox Sports

• Purse: $200,000