Charlatan is a Good Bet to End the Season Strongly

By  //  June 22, 2020

Charlatan has only had one appearance on the racecourse so far in his career, however, he did enough to suggest he could be the next superstar in the sport. (Bloodhorse image)

Charlatan has only had one appearance on the racecourse so far in his career, however, he did enough to suggest he could be the next superstar in the sport.

U.S Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert started his colt off in the Grade One Arkansas Derby, where he went off as the odds-on favorite in the betting at -250.

The son of Speightstown justified those odds to score cozily by six lengths.

Jockey Martin Garcia rode Charlatan prominently on his debut in that 1m1f contest on dirt. The horse looked as though he knew exactly what his task was and when his rider pressed the button, he had the speed to quicken away from his rivals.

Kentucky Derby Blow For Charlatan

The bookmakers reacted to that run by making Charlatan their ante-post favorite for the Kentucky Derby, which is scheduled to take place in September this season. Unfortunately, since then, Charlatan has picked up a minor injury which has ruled him out of that contest.

Baffert’s runners are always worth a punt in the Kentucky Derby as the trainer has won the race five times in his career. His last success came in 2018 as part of American Pharaoh’s Triple Crown.

Although he will not be able to saddle Charlatan at Churchill Downs this year, he does have a great chance of winning the top prize with Authentic.

Although missing the Kentucky Derby is a big blow for connections of Charlatan, it could come as a blessing in disguise. He is likely to be much fresher than his rivals in the latter stages of the year.

The U.S racing calendar is packed for 12 months, so there are huge races in the final few months of the season. Some good horses in the past have struggled in these contests following a grueling schedule. Connections of Charlatan will have no such worries.

Charlatan +700 To Win Breeders’ Cup Classic

Despite being just three years old, it would be no surprise to see Charlatan take on the older horses in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. He is +700 if you are betting on today’s horse racing ante-post markets.

The feature race at the world championship meeting has an open feel about it at the moment. Maximum Security currently tops the betting at +450, however, he still has something to prove at that level in the United States.

One of the other horses who is also prominent in the early market for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Classic is Benbatl. Trained in Europe by Saeed bin Suroor, he has been in good form this year on the dirt at Meydan at the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

The six-year-old is exposed now though and, if successful, he would be the oldest winner in the history of the race.

Charlatan should not be forgotten about as he recovers from his minor ankle issue. There was a big buzz about the horse before his opening run, and there is a good chance he will still end the year as the best three-year-old in the United States.

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