Horse Picks from Belmont Park and the Jersey Shore

Padding Your Bankroll: Saturday May 30

It is just seven days until the Belmont Stakes, and things are quiet this weekend, with just a handful of graded stakes on the menu.

The only Grade 1 race this weekend is the $250,000 Gamely Stakes at Hollywood Park, a nine furlong turf event that drew a field of eleven fillies and mares.

I found a couple of stakes closer to home where we might be able to pad our bankroll.

First, we head to the Jersey Shore for the $70,000 Spend a Buck Stakes at Monmouth Park. A field of eight three year olds will go 1 mile and 70 yards on the main track.

Then we will head off to Belmont Park for the $150,000 Sands Point Stakes (G2). The race drew a field of seven three year old fillies, and I think we have a shot of beating the morning line favorite.

Monmouth Park Race 8 Spend a Buck Stakes (Post time 4:20 ET)

#5 Lord Justice 6/1

#4 Bunker Hill 6/1

#2 It Happened Again 3/1

#1 Santana Six 2/1

#5 Lord Justice is making his first start since setting the early pace and fading to finish seventh in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial. The colt was not helped by the racing surface, which seemed to be kinder to horses coming from off the pace that day. Two back the colt was a smart looking winner against first level allowance company on the inner off a five month break. The colt still appears to have some upside and has a nice pedigree. He is by A.P. Indy out of the stakes winner Buy the Sport ($357K).

#4 Bunker Hill was fractious at the gate, was off poorly and never a factor over good ground in his turf debut last out. Two back he missed winning the Blue N Gold to a nice colt in Russell Road, a Chuck Town specialist who has won 7 of 9 career starts. To come within a neck of beating that guy off a six month layoff showed this guy has some talent. We will toss the turf debacle and expect to see a better effort here with the switch back to dirt.

Wagering

WIN: #5 to win at 7/2 or better.

EX: 4,5 / 1,2,4,5

TRI: 4,5 / 1,2,4,5 / 1,2,3,4,5

Belmont Park Race 9 Sans Point Stakes G2 (Post time 5:17 ET)

#7 Magical Affair 2/1

#1 Bluegrass Princess 4/1

#4 Gozzip Girl 9/5

#5 Fast Tigress 6/1

#7 Magical Affair is coming off a good second to Grade 1 winner Laragh last out in the Edgewood at Churchill Downs. The filly was knocked off stride coming out of the gate leaving her last in the field. She made a good late rally, coming five wide around the far turn but could not catch the loose on the lead gate to wire winner. The fourth place finisher in the race was Excelente, who came back to run a good second at Arlington Park in the American 2000 Guineas. Our top pick has not missed landing in the exacta in five career trips and the $1.5 million purchase looks better each time she is sent out. She looks like she is going to be tough to beat in this spot.

#1 Bluegrass Princess finished behind #4 Gozzip Girl two back in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride, then came back to beat Alw-1 foes. She might get the jump on the morning line favorite in here as there is not much early pace for #4 Gozzip Girl to run at in here. Turning for home, she should have the lead and if the early fractions are moderate she may have something left late and among the top three in here she likely is going to be the better value.

Wagering

WIN: #7 to win at 9/5 or better.

EX: 1,7 / 1,4,5,7

TRI: 1,7 / 1,4,5,7 / 1,4,5,6,7

Good luck padding your bankroll today!