It’s another Sunday of racing at beautiful Belmont Park, and ten races await for us to try to earn some money. No stakes races today, meaning the races are much more difficult to handicap. Lets get busy:
1st race: 6½ Furlongs. ™Clm 16000n2L Purse $28,000 FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD
Peggy Sue (6) – This is a very weak group, so I’ll go with the filly that has faced this condition the least amount of times. The first time she ran in this same group, despite having some problems, came in a good third. Harkie is due for a win.
Dazzling Speed (4) – Franco, who has been red hot over the last week or so, will look to place here at or near the lead. The six and a half furlongs is a better trip for her and should be distating fractions, tryin g to wire this poor quality bunch.
Shak’s Hidden Gem (5) – Taking a cut back in distance, if there is a hot pace in front of her, she is the one that can engulf them at the finish. A plodder, yes, but this race is full of them.
2nd race: 6 Furlongs. (Turf) ‘MC 40000 Purse $41,000 FOR MAIDENS, THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD
Alphatest (8) – This horse has a definite speed advantage over this field, and Cancel will be putting him in a position to steal this race from the gitgo. Has two solid works in preparation and will be very tough to catch.
Daring Disguise (5) – Finally takes a drop in class after failing to break thru in his first eight starts. Linda Rice is the master in dropping for a tag (30% effectivity), and no doubt he is one of the best in here. Needs some pace in front of him.
Capt. Courageous (7) – With only two races lifetime, he still has some upside potential, and that return race was a good one, amidst some trouble he had. At 20-1, is worth taking a risk with him, and Bravo is a very nice jockey, specially in the grass.
3rd race: 1 1/8 Mile. (Inner Turf) ™OC 100000b Purse $85,000 INNER TURF (UP TO $14,790 NYSBFOA) FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD
Scottish Jig (5) – Improving with each new start and now takes a dip in class, from losing a Grade II by only a couple of lengths. Jose Ortiz takes the call now for Hal of Famer Bill Mott, and together they hit at a very nice clip. Will be prominent from the go.
Sky Full of Stars (3) – Interestingly, Joel Rosario takes the call here, and he rode my favorite last time out. We don’t see much speed signed in, so don’t be surprised to see Rosario looking for the lead at all costs. She takes a considerable cutback, from a mile and a half.
Chipolata (1) – She is a nice filly, but tends to fold when she is bet heavily, and I suspect this will be the case today. Anyway, you can deny her a chance, and Franco lately wins even a donkey.
4th race: 6 Furlongs. ™‘MC 50000 Purse $46,000 FOR MAIDENS, FILLIES TWO YEARS OLD
Tequila Frog (7) – Had her share of problems in her debut, now comes out from a much better post and taking the drop to maiden claimers. Saez should sit with her in the garden spot and come looking for the lead from the three sixteenth pole on.
Cruising Strong (8) – Debut runner for Linda Rice , who hits at a 28% clip when debuting for a tag. Works have been good enough to consider her one of the top choices in here.
Top Hat Invasion (9) – Here is the price of the event. Now with Lasix and taking a drop also, she is maybe the fastest of this group, and if they let her post easy enough fractions, she can take them wire to wire.
5th race: 1 Mile. (Turf) ™Clm 35000n3L Purse $44,000 (UP TO $7,656 NYSBFOA) FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD
Curluck/ Golconda (1/1A) – This entry complements each other well. Golconda should be part of that first flight and the mile distance will give her the opportunity to relax some more, and Curluck will be watching things unfold in front of her to come flying late. Both are dropping from the allowance ranks.
Psalmody (9) – She is running well, but I don’t excuse her for losing last time out, and haven’t win a quite a while. Saez keeps trying with her, let’s see if the change in trainer can make the trick for this filly, but that 0 for 2018 and 2019 is not a pretty sight at all.
Clockstrikestwelve (5) – Has shown some slight improvement in her last race, and entices Joel Rosario to take the mount. She will be praying for a hot pace upfront, don’t fall asleep on Rosario, who definitely knows this course from A to Z. Dangerous.
6th race: 6 Furlongs. Alw 77000n1x Purse $77,000 (UP TO $13,398 NYSBFOA) FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD
Off the Record (1) – Dictated the pace with extremely good fractions last time out, and the race seems to be controlled by him and the #4 horse. I expect Ortiz to sit with him right off Fortune’s Fool and run him down early in the stretch.
Fortune’s Fool (4) – In my opinion, he is the fastest of this bunch and Saez should look to clear from the start. If he can put some daylight, then it will be game over.
Under a Spell (6) – Returning from a nine months hiatus with a new trainer (Jorge Duarte , 27% effectiveness first race), if there is a speed duel up front, ha can take advantage and run them down late in the stretch.
7th race: 1 1/4 Mile. (Inner Turf) Mdn 90k Purse $90,000 INNER TURF (UP TO $15,660 NYSBFOA) FOR MAIDENS, THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD.
Mr. Alec (4) – Debuted at Monmouth Park and now Christophe Clement pencils him here, a better circuit. Definitely a good sign and Joel Rosario takes the call with this colt, who was asking for more ground to run in that first race.
Tiberius Maximus (8) – Has the experience in this distance, a very important factor in a race in which the majority haven’t run even close to that trip. Luis Saez repeats for trainer Mike Maker and he will be present contesting the pace from the go.
Shennan (10) – Ran out of ground last time out, and now trainer Mark Casse tries with blinkers, maybe looking for the horse to get involved earlier in the event. Saratoga and Kentucky Downs leading jockey Jose Ortiz will be on his saddle, always a guarantee.
8th race: 6 Furlongs. ‘Mdn 62k Purse $62,000 FOR MAIDENS, TWO YEARS OLD
Dream Bigger (4) – Anything close to that debut run and everyone else will run for place money. And with Jose Ortiz in the reins, he will be on the lead and will take some kind of beating to be defeated in this race. Best Bet of the Day.
Big Package (8) – The best worker out of the first time starters, have some works that no doubt catch the eye. The six furlongs can result somewhat short for him, lets see how things unfold.
Hold my Call (2) – Not a bad showing at all in his vow run, should be much more fit now and, with a race under his belt, improvement is expected.
9th race: 7 Furlongs. (Turf) ‘OC 40000n2x Purse $70,000 FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD
Psychic Energy/ Leaky Cup (1/1A) – This is by far the most difficult race of the day to handicap, because the majority of these horses compete regularly against each other, taking turns on the winner. I landed on this entry, specially for Leaky Cup. He is unproven on grass, that’s true. But the way he won last time out, and the effectivity of Kimmel 1st time on grass makes me think he is ready for the challenge.
Shiraz (6) – Last time out he drew the rail and that was the difference between winning and losing. Today he lands a much better post and Saez will place him in a stalking position to attack in the latter stages.
Dowse’s Beach (4) -Very tough customer in these groups, specially at the Big Sandy, in which he has obtained five wins. Jose Ortiz takes the call replacing his brother and he will be part of that first flight, looking to take them wire to wire.
10th race: 6 Furlongs. (Inner Turf) Clm 25000 Purse $50,000 INNER TURF FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD.
Banana Thief (9) – Another puzzle to end the card. Banana Thief is well positioned in the gate and should take advantage of what should be a pretty contested pace up front. Not much of a winning machine, but circumstances benefit him today.
Fear (5) – The yielding turf was not of his liking last time out. Beg=fore that race, his efforts are goods enough to be extremely competitive here, and its taking a drop in class. Should be prominent from when they spring the latch.
Dalarna (3) – This horse is returning from a six month break, gelded and with a new trainer. Hasn’t faced competition as light as this group, but seems the distance is somewhat short for him, although numbers wise, he definitely belongs.