Happy Belmont Stakes Week!!!
We are back at Belmont Park on the week of the Belmont, the premier race of the Belmont spring/summer meet! We have two Grade 3 races and an ungraded stake today to kick off the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival!! Let’s get hot here and start the weekend off strong!
Race 1: 2-4-3
#2 PILLAR MOUNTAIN (IRE) is a lightly raced 4 year old but has been ITM both times when Rosario had been up. The one race at this distance he ran it back at Saratoga last summer and ran a strong 2nd after an awkward start on soft turf. He has put together a string of very good works recently and we should get a good firm turf to run over and close on today.
Race 2: 8-5-4
#8 RED ZINGER graduated last time out and faces winners for the first time here. He won at the distance last time out, get Eric Cancel back up. After that win we see a couple of very nice bullet works and won coming out of the furthermost post which we get today and has ran well from the outermost post before.
Race 3 Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes: 3-4-1
#3 NEWSPAPEROFRECORD is just the one to beat here, the 2nd choice is a joke in here and this looks like a tune up race for something bigger to come in the summer (most likely at Saratoga). We see two bullet 4 furlong works since taking a tough loss in the Edgewood on Oaks day. If she handles the firm turf well then she will win. However I will NOT be singling the top selection here, Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) as she has never run on a firm turf and I can’t over look that.
Race 4: 6-7-1
#6 CHINA CAT has run some very solid races with two 2nd’s down in Maryland and ships in today with a regular rider of hers. She just missed by a nose at Pimlico last time out and she replicated her figure twice in a row now, this is one I will be going in on as there is a great balance of value and experience in this maiden!
Race 5: 6-9-7
#6 QUEEN MEDB (IRE) has run 2nd in 3 of her 4 lifetime starts and the last race was a solid showing at the distance and she just didn’t gain fast enough. That day however the pace was extremely slow (50 second half 1:14 three quarters), a faster pace today will help her to stalk here a lot. Irad jumps up for the first time today adn that rider upgrade could help a lot.
Race 6: 3-1-2
#3 ROWAYTON wasn’t on in the last showing at Oaklawn on a sloppy track, but prior to that finished ITM in two Grade 1 races on a fast track. We will get a nice fast track here today and we see some great works with a collection of bullets. Joel Rosario jumps up for Jerry today and these two have a great connection and percentage together.
Race 7 Astoria Stakes: 6-3-9
#6 SNEAKY SURPRISE won easily at 5 furlongs last time out even after stumbling at the start and still looked like a professional. Johnny V decides to retain the mount here and we see a solid workout after that last race which are extremely similar to the work we see before the last winner.
Race 8 Grade 3 Intercontinental Stakes: 9-8-4
#9 BROADWAY RUN just got nosed out last time by the 2nd pick here, but today a firm turf should give this filly a better shot. Since the last race we see 3 very strong works with a couple bullets and looking at Luis Saez with this horse we see a 2nd and a victory. This filly is a sprinter and she can get the 7 furlongs for this race, even among this company as she is a constant and successful stakes runner.
Race 9: 8-9-2
#8 PLEBE hasn’t been seen since last years Saratoga meet, and as somebody who isn’t a fan of longer layoffs this choice may seem odd so I’ll explain. This geldings speed figures from last summer compared to the rest of this field is better than any other runner here. Both previous races were turf sprints and he finished ITM in both of those races. Sammy Camacho jumps up and this is a very serviceable rider from Florida who wants to grow a get better in the New York circuit. There is talent in the saddle and turning for home this gelding will have a very good chance at a nice 12/1 ML price.
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