Keys to playing Saturday's Belmont Stakes survivor contest

On Saturday, DerbyWars.com is offering a $2,000 Belmont Survivor Contest consisting of Races 4-11 -- all Grade 1s on the Belmont Stakes card that ends with the final leg of the Triple Crown.

A spot in this contest costs only $5.75, and every player has the option to purchase up to 12 entries.

As a veteran of DerbyWars' survivor tournaments, I categorize four ways whens selecting my contest horses. Remember, they key is selecting a contender to finish in the Top 3 to keep your entry alive.

The Favorite to Survive: The horse that will be selected by the most players.

Alternate: A horse that has a good chance to survive but won’t be the top choice. This is the kind you want to use if you think the favorite is vulnerable and could miss the board.

Single: A horse that is very likely to survive and allows you to keep all your entries alive.

Spread: Try two or three horses across multiple entries in a wide-open race.

Given that, here's how I'm looking to play Saturday's sequence.

Race 4 (Just a Game)

Favorite to Survive: Rushing Fall
Alternate: Get Stormy

Race 5 (Ogden Phipps)

Favorite to Survive: Midnight Bisou

Alternate: Come Dancing

Race 6 (Jaipur)

Single: World of Trouble

Race 7 (Acorn)

Spread: Guarana, Ce Ce, Cookie Dough

Race 8 (Woody Stephens)

Favorite to Survive: Mind Control
Alternate: Nitrous

Race 9 (Met Mile)

Favorite to Survive: McKinzie

Alternate: Firenze Fire

Race 10 (Manhattan)

Single: Bricks and Mortar

Race 11 (Belmont Stakes)

Favorite to Survive: Tacitus

Alternate: War of Will