Saturday’s $500,000, Grade 2 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park is a vital cease on the highway to the Oct. 30-31 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland Race Course.
The 1 ¼-mile grass race for fillies and mares awards the winner a fees-paid berth to the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
You would possibly assume, then, that #10 Gezora is the runner to beat within the Flower Bowl. In any case, she gained the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf with a pointy rally from midpack, defeating a robust subject by half a size.
However Gezora has struggled in 2026. She’s 0-for-3 this 12 months, and in her final two begins, she’s completed eighth and sixth. She’ll want a rebound to problem for victory within the Flower Bowl, and whereas a turnaround isn’t out of the query, we consider #4 Kathynmarissa is the extra seemingly winner.
A daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Kathynmarissa is educated by Chad Brown, who has gained the Flower Bowl eight instances since 2011. Kathynmarissa has a robust likelihood to present Brown a ninth win.
Kathynmarissa has lengthy been a high-class competitor. Again in 2024, she gained the Pepsi Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes and ran second within the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes and Grade 1 American Oaks. Within the latter race, she was overwhelmed solely by She Feels Fairly, who gained an Eclipse Award as champion turf feminine of 2025.
Kathynmarissa didn’t race a lot in 2025, however she’s again to her finest this 12 months. She opened the season with a stretch-running victory over Gezora within the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes Introduced by Veritas Prime, then completed a strong third within the Grade 1 New York Stakes earlier than bouncing again to take the Grade 1 Dunkin’ Diana Stakes by half a size over a number of Grade 1 winner Segesta.
The 1 ¼-mile distance of the Flower Bowl ought to go well with Kathynmarissa completely, contemplating she’s excelled in stakes ranging in size from 1 1/8 miles to 1 5/16 miles. She’s additionally versatile by way of working type, so regardless of how the Flower Bowl unfolds, she ought to be capable of work out an acceptable journey.
We advocate betting Kathynmarissa to win. Additionally, think about betting her on high of trifecta tickets utilizing Gezora, #2 Sunlit Uplands, #7 Evershed, #8 Esna, and #11 Cathedral for second and/or third place. We advise emphasizing Sunlit Uplands, who was overwhelmed solely a neck when second within the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes Introduced by STIHL final month.
Wagering Technique on a $10 Funds
$10 to win on #4 Kathynmarissa
What to say on the betting window: Belmont Park, eleventh race, $10 to win on 4
Wagering Technique on a $30 Funds
$16 to win on #4 Kathynmarissa
What to say on the betting window: Belmont Park, eleventh race, $16 to win on 4
$2 trifecta: 4 with 2 with 7,8,10,11 (whole value: $8)
What to say on the betting window: Belmont Park, eleventh race, $2 trifecta 4 with 2 with 7,8,10,11
$2 trifecta: 4 with 7,8,11 with 2 (whole value: $6)
What to say on the betting window: Belmont Park, eleventh race, $2 trifecta 4 with 7,8,11 with 2
Good luck, and benefit from the race!
