Friday’s Belmont Park Card

Friday’s Belmont Park card has several excellent betting races including today’s play of the day, which is a maiden special weight race at six furlongs for three year olds and upward.

Our top pick is the George Weaver trained Second and One, who is returning to the main track after showing speed and weakening to finish third trying to get a mile on turf.

The gelding should appreciate the return to dirt and the shorter distance and looks like a good play in the third race.

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Our Late Pick 3 play starts with the seventh race, a second level allowance race on the turf going 1 1/6 miles.

Silenced makes it as our top pick at a generous 10/1 on the morning line, and we finish the three-race sequence with a couple of longshots in the final leg.

If either Rochita (10/1 odds) or Timuquana (8/1) can get home on top in the finale we could be looking at a nice profit on our $24 investment.

Today’s Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 3 Md Sp Wt (2:03 ET)

• #4 Second and One 5/2
• #1 Fortitude 4/1
• #8 Raffinator 7/2
• #3 Coach Homer 6/1

Horse Betting Analysis: #4 Second and One returns to the main track after setting the early fractions and weakening to finish third last out going a mile on the weeds. Two back on dirt at today’s distance the gelding set the early fractions and opened up a clear lead heading for home and was caught late, beaten a half length for the top spot.

The gelding caught a main track that day that was playing to outside stalkers and closers. Pedigree wise this guy seems much better suited for dirt.

#1 Fortitude tracked the early pace, took over the lead on the far turn and held on until late, coming up a length short of the top spot in a third place finish. The colt has been freshened by the Schosberg barn and Ramon sticks for another go. The gelding is out of the stakes winner Pentatonic ($601K).

Wagering

WIN: #4 to win at 2/1 or better.

EX: 1,4 / 1,3,4,8

TRI: 1,4 / 1,3,4,8 / 1,3,4,7,8

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

Starting in Race 7: $1: 3,5 / 2,4,5 / 1,7,9,11 = $24

BEL Race 7 OClm $25,000N2X (4:11 ET)

#3 Silenced, #5 City Sneakers

#3 Silenced beat state bred Alw-1 foes three back, then ran into a couple of repeat winners in his first two tries at today’s level. Last out he stumbled badly coming out of the gate and was not a threat in a sixth place finish behind the winner Writingonthewall, who returned to beat open Alw-1 foes on Aug. 21, then beat Alw-2 optional claimers on Sept. 5. Two back our top pick ran third behind a pair of next out winners.

The winner Straight Story is Grade 2 placed and came back to beat Alw-1 foes and later won the NY bred West Point on Aug. 19 at the Spa. The colt finds an easier group here and the 10/1 ML looks generous.

#5 City Sneakers set the early fractions and held on gamely, beaten just a neck for the top spot last out against state bred Alw-1 foes. Rice steps him up a notch, but he makes his third start off the bench and may be able to handle the tougher spot here.

BEL Race 8 OClm $75,000N3X (4:43 ET)

#2 Lemon Cream Pie, #5 Baletti, #4 Pleasant Strike

#2 Lemon Cream Pie makes his first start since March for the Jerkens barn that is 17% winners with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. This five year old gelding does not catch a easy spot here as there are a couple of stakes winners in here, but he was competitive at Gulfstream Park early this year at the level, and two of his three career wins on the weeds have come here at Belmont Park.

He was also a good second in the Knickerbocker (G3) here last fall. It is tough to separate the top couple of contenders in here, and our top pick should be a fair price in this spot.

#5 Baletti came up short in the Baruch (G3) last out in a fifth place finish, his first go off a 2 1/2 month break. He won the Ft. Marcy (G3) here three back and will appreciate the class drop here back into the allowance ranks.

He was offered up for a tag back in February for $80K when he beat optional claimers with no takers. He should move forward off his last effort and is reunited with Leparoux, who was aboard this guy when he beat Alw-2 foes at Keeneland.

BEL Race 9 Md Sp Wt (5:15 ET)

#9 Rochitta, #7 Timuquana, #1 Orangeblackandgold, #11 Town Flirt

#9 Rochitta was outrun early and picked up some ground late in a non-threatening fifth in her debut over ground labeled as good. The Harty barn usually does not have them fully cranked first time out, so we will give this gal a better look today. She is a half to a pair of turf winners including stakes winner Lord Admiral ($1 million).

#7 Timuquana was fourth in two trips over the main track at Churchill Downs and now returns off a three-month break for the Romans barn. The filly has the pedigree to take to turf. She is by Smart Strike out of a Storm Bird mare that has dropped nine winners including three turf winners. She put in a quick gate drill on Sept. 4 and likely is overlooked on the tote here.

Price Plays From Belmont Park:
These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

• R4: #5 Cautionary Tale 8/1
• R5: #3 Ready to Party 10/1
• R6: #6 First Flute 12/1
• R7: #3 Silenced 10/1
• R7: #1 Vose the Host 12/1
• R9: #9 Rochitta 10/1
• R9: #7 Timuquana 8/1

Find the latest morning line thoroughbred betting odds in the racebook, click here.