Today at Belmont there are four graded stakes races, including two Grade 1s. Below is my analysis pre-scratches.
Belmont Park Race 4 Suburban Stakes 4YO+ 2:32 EST Small, if not formidable, field here includes last year’s winner, the 2 Max Player. I like this horse and have followed his career closely. He really needs some pace to run into, and this race has none. Quite frankly, his five-year-old campaign has been a dud. In his two graded wins last year, trainer Steve Asmussen had Max sitting just off the pace and then making his late run. Starting with the Breeders’ Cup Classic, his last three finishes are 8th, 7th, and 6th. So, I’ll peg him to finish 5th today. With the lack of speed I mentioned, I’m going to go with the horse I project to be on the lead, which is the 1 Untreated. Nice works these last three weeks. Last time out he just couldn’t hang on and was run down by the 4 First Captain. Take ‘em from the gate and see if Luis Saez can repeat that performance or make Irad and the 5 Dynamic One try and run him down.
Picks: 1-5-4-3-2
Belmont Park Race 7 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes 3YO Fillies 4:06 EST Might as well call this the Chad Brown Invitational. The trainer has three entries: the 1 McKulick, the 3 Haughty, and the 5 Consumer Spending. You could do worse than boxing those three in the exacta, or even the trifecta if you’re feeling lucky. Then again, trying to beat Chad Brown on the turf at Belmont is like trying to stop squirrels from getting into your birdfeeder. Tough to do. I’ve got what looks to be a live one that I like in the 2 Cairo Memories, a ship-in from the California circuit. Winner of her last two, jockey Mike Smith ships in to stay in the mount. This should be a great betting race, as well as a fun one to watch.
Picks: 2-3-10-5
Belmont Park Race 8 Victory Ride Stakes 3YO Fillies 4:38 EST Switching over to a dirt sprint, this feisty group of seven have some true speed horses. I’m going with a filly who is 1-for-1 on dirt going 6.5 furlongs and has a smart rider who will get her into position to make her run down the stretch. I’m talking, of course, about the 7 Sterling Silver and jockey Trevor McCarthy. He should be able to save ground and will put her in the best path to take it. Throw in the fact that she’s a gray and, hey, I’m sold.
Picks: 7-5-2-6
Today’s DRF daily featured race is Belmont race 9. You can access free PPs for the race here.
Belmont Park Race 9 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes 3YO 5:12 EST In perhaps the best field we’ve seen since the Derby, these thirteen colts will battle going 10 furlongs on the turf. Fair cases could be made for many. I suppose, too, that you could pick apart each of these colts if you dug deep enough. Which is exactly why I’m going with some prices to spring the upset. I won’t have a ticket without 9 Tiz the Bomb on it. Gets back to a surface that he’s bred for and the last two works are great. The 4 Classic Causeway could get an easy early lead and, with no one to really press the pace, could he wire the field? Not out of the realm of possibility. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the lone gray in the field, 12 Limited Liability. Jose Ortiz has ridden in all five lifetime starts, going 5-2-0-3 for the Claude McGaughey III barn. Going to be charging late, and who knows? Certainly not leaving him out of the trifecta. The 13 Stone Age is 2-for-2 going 10 furlongs on the turf and has a lifetime record of 8-2-3-1 for trainer Aidan O'Brien. He brings his regular jockey, Ryan Moore, with him from overseas. You think they made the trip to lose?
Picks: 13-12-4-9
Best of luck playing the races!