Good day to play the Ponies – Horse Picks from Belmont

Padding Your Bankroll: Thursday June 11

If you were thinking about calling in sick and staying home to play the ponies, today is a pretty good day to do it.

The nine race card at Belmont Park is full of vulnerable favorites and live longshots, and it appears we have several excellent shot at padding our bankroll in the racebook today.

The play of the day gets things started and Vindicat looks live as the colt takes on a field of $60,000 claimers and is sitting at a generous 15/1 on the morning line.

Our Pick 3 play starts in the seventh race, and the three race sequence includes a 8/1 and a couple of 12/1 longshots.

All three races in the Pick 3 sequence are scheduled for the turf, and the grass course was listed as yielding on Wednesday. There is some rain in the forecast, but hopefully not enough to move the races to the main track.

Today’s Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 3 Clm $60,000 (2:04 ET)

#6 Vindicat 15/1

#3 Mississippi Man 6/1

#1 Forest King / #1a Awesome Actor 7/2

#7 Proud Ruler 2/1

Analysis: #6 Vindicat returns off nearly a three-month break after dueling for the early lead and getting eased at Gulfstream in his first go against winners. He caught a tough group that day, the runner up and fourth place finisher coming back to win next out while the winner Just a Coincidence came back to finish third in the G1 Wood and then fourth in the G3 Withers. Jacobson claimed this guy two back for $40K where he went gate to wire for Zito in a sharp effort going nine furlongs. The colt has been freshened and the barn is 19% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. Looking for a bounce back here at a price and Lopez is 3 for 8 riding for the barn at the meeting. The colt is by Vindication out of an Honor Grades mare, making this one even more attractive at a price if the track comes up wet.

#3 Mississippi Man set a sharp early pace in the slop and faded to finish fourth at Del Park. This guy ran some big efforts at Chuck Town in two turn sprints early this year. The colt figures to be on the front here and is showing his sire’s early pace. Disco Rico was one of the fastest to get into gear of his generation.

Wagering

WIN: #6 to win at 8/1 or better.

EX: 3,6 / 1,3,6,7

TRI: 3,6 / 1,3,6,7 / 1,3,4,6,7

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

Starting in Race 7: $1: 3,5,9 / 3,8 / 1,2,7,10 = $24

BEL Race 7 Md Sp Wt (4:12 ET)

#3 Cape Karoo, #9 Star Orchid, #5 Warm Springs Girl

#3 Cape Karoo was beaten by double-digit lengths in her last two starts on dirt and returns to the turf here. Three back this gal made her turf debut at Gulfstream Park, getting bumped coming out of the gate and finishing an even fifth. That was a solid field that produced a couple of next out winners. The winner of the race was Magical Affair, who returned to beat Alw-1 company at Keeneland then ran second in the Edgewood and fourth in the G2 Sands Point. The filly popped a bullet work on 6/2 and two of her sibs have won on turf including Transit of Venus ($161K), a four-time winner on the weeds.

#9 Star Orchid makes her first start since last fall where she made a mild late rally to finish third at the Big A going a mile in her turf debut. She was only beaten two lengths for the top spot and the runner up, fourth, and sixth place finishers came back to win their next starts. Ramon takes the call for the Hushion barn that is 15% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff.

BEL Race 8 Alw $45,000N1X (4:45 ET)

#8 Strike Again, #3 Dr. Smarty Jack

#8 Strike Again returns off a two-month break after checking in fifth trying two turns on the turf at Keeneland. She exits a highly graded race that produced three next out winners. The runner up Affirmitif came back to win the Woodlawn at Pimlico on 5/16 and then ran second in the Hill Prince at Belmont last out in a race taken off the turf. Our top pick has a nice pedigree, by Dixie Union out of the stakes winner Strike it Up ($201K) who did her best running on dirt. She has dropped one other winner, 8 for 10 Euphony ($373K), who is a two-time turf winner.

#3 Dr. Smarty Jack faces winners for the first time after a game maiden score last out at today’s seven-furlong distance. She has fired each time, her only out of the exacta finish when she had a troubled trip three back at Gulfstream Park going two turns. She still appears to have plenty of upside potential. She is by Smarty Jones out of the stakes winner Hoh Buzzard ($319K), a stakes winner on turf. She is worth tossing in the mix here if we catch most of her 8/1 ML.

BEL Race 9 Md $35,000 (5:17 ET)

#1 Classic Guy / #1a Louann’s Boot, #7 Khan of Khans, #10 Southern Spender, #2 Rapid Mon

#1 Classic Guy ships in from Philly for the Allard barn. Last out this gelding was beaten just a head for the top spot on the main track versus $12.5K maiden claimers. He adds blinkers while stepping up to the $35K level. He should take to the turf, as he is by Untuttable out of the stakes winner Demetroula ($149K0 who has dropped a couple of turf winners including Blazing Sword ($1.2 million) and Demi’s Bret ($375K). Allard brings Ramos for the ride and the jock scored on the barn’s other runner at the meeting, Becky’s Exchange going off at 21/1 and that race happened to be a six furlong turf sprint for the very same tag as today.

#7 Khan of Khans dueled for the early lead and could not hold off the top pair late, settling for third. The colt has moved forward in each of his four starts and he does not need to move forward much off his last effort to pick up his diploma 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.

R1: #5 Western 10/1

R3: #6 Vindicat 15/1

R4: #7 Youbethecan 8/1

R5: #7 Esquivalience 12/1

R6: #6 Gold Vendetta 10/1

R6: #8 Victory Assured 12/1

R7: #3 Cape Karoo 12/1

R8: #3 Dr. Smarty Jack 8/1

R9: #1 Classic Guy / #1a Louann’s Boot 12/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!