Back at Belmont after a very successful Belmont Stakes Day at beautiful Belmont Park!! My top pick of the day, Sir Winston, won the 151st Belmont Stakes at 10/1, hopefully you all cashed with me! Now we are on to a new week at Belmont Park, even though there is less than a month until Saratoga, Belmont is still offering us some great races! Let’s stay hot and get right into it!
Race 1: 1/1A-5-3
A bit of a stinky race to start us off but I think it’s very straightforward. The #1/1A ENTRY is going to be the top selection and a single in the early pick 5. The #1 AIR ON FIRE is dropping to the lowest level to date and has a very good collection of speed figures compared to the rest of the field.
Race 2: 7-4-1/1A
We are going to go with the 8/1 ML price #7 RUNNING ON ENTRY in a wide open maiden special weight. This filly came from last and just missed by a neck last time out in what was an extremely impressive showing. Today she gets an extra furlong and with that extra furlong she easily would have won last time out. Today at 8/1 ML she might be too good of a price to pass up.
Race 3: 2-1-5
#2 MO SOUL is dropping down today and going for the four peat. Kendrick gets the leg up again today and they’re running at the same distance as last three races. This barn is 3 for 3 with dirt runners at 7/2 odds or below after coming off a victory from 30-50 days ago. Buy your stock now while it is hot!
Race 4: 8-3-6
#8 CHARREADA is coming off a 9 month layoff but has run her best races on turf. Joel climbs up today for the first time and we see a very nice collection of workouts. Finally Shug is 50% with turf routers coming off a 3+ month layoff.
Race 5: 2-5-4
#2 HARKNESS is coming off as turf race so we can throw that out. Before the last race we see a decent effort at a higher level where she finished 3rd. Jose Ortiz retains the mount today and his partnership with Bill Mott has yielded very solid percentages this year. Slight edge here since we see a step down in class.
Race 6: 9-8-1
#9 WHISKEY IS MY WINE is a great name and he’s my top pick for not that reason only. Last race The gelding was on the lead until getting caught right before the wire and he was bumped at the start. After being bumped he then got caught in a speed duel up front setting some very decent fractions for a first time starter. Today we don’t see anybody to go to the front with him, plus he has a start now. Not a bad 9/2 ML shot at all to go with.
Race 7: 3-5-9
#3 PANTHER HIT is coming out of an ungraded stakes race over at Gulfstream where she was steadied during her first bid and had to go to the outside. She finished a modest 6th in that race and today she gets a step down in class plus Luis Saez up. She has won at the distance of this race to break her maiden and she may lack experience compared to the others here but her potential looks great, her speed figures are some of the best of the crop and very consistent.
Race 8: 1-3-2
#1 CARRERA CAT goes for the four peat today and over her last 4 races her speed figures have only been ascending. We see a bullet work since that last win over this same Belmont track. This race is within her reach speed figure wise, we get Rajiv up again and she won’t have too much pace pressure today which should yield a victory.
Race 9: 7-5-6
#7 TRACI’S GIRL has always shown some decent speed but has never closed out the deal yet, but her best finish was with Joel Rosario up who we get today. He knows how to finish strong and get the best out of horses, also there isn’t too much pace in this race from those who have raced prior to today. We see improving workouts since the last race and the best speed figures for this filly on turf.