Horse Play of the Day from Belmont Park

There is a 3:00 ET post time at Belmont Park this afternoon, but that may not be enough time to dry out the main track and the turf course, which took plenty of rain again on Thursday.

The main track was sloppy and they were off the turf on Thursday, and it could be more of the same today. There are five races carded for the turf, but I am assuming we are going to be off the turf, to save the grass for the weekend.

Rain or shine, there are plenty of horse wagering opportunities for us to pad our bankroll this afternoon.

Today’s Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 5 Clm $15,000N2L (5:00 et)

#1 Disco Diva 7/2

#5 Vicarious 9/2

#8 Sand and Song 9/5

#2 Stephen’s Even 6/1

Analysis: #1 Disco Diva is back with state breds here after a fourth place finish against $15K non-winners of two in her last start, which was her first go against winners. She tracked the early pace, made a middle move and weakened in the stretch to finish 3 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Only the ML fav in here earned a higher last out speed fig and this gal also broke her maiden over a wet track. Her last start was off nearly a three-month break and this is just her fifth career start and still appears to have some upside potential.

#5 Vicarious has been beaten by double-digit lengths in each of her last four outings but those all came against Alw-1 NY breds and this group looks easier. She makes her third start off the bench and has a win and a second in three trips over wet tracks. Jerkens is having a solid meeting and goes with Lezcano, who hits at a 29% clip when riding for the hall of fame conditioner.

Wagering

WIN: #1 to win at 5/2 or better.

EX: 1,5 / 1,2,5,8

TRI: 1,5 / 1,2,5,8 / 1,2,5,8,9

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

Starting in Race 7: $1: 4,12 / 6,10,11 / 1,7,9,11 = $24

BEL Race 7 Md Sp Wt (6:04 et)

#12 Gold d’Oro, #4 Ermine Slippers

#12 Gold d’Oro gets the nod here and this will be her first go on conventional dirt if this does indeed come off the turf. The filly has come up a nose short in each of his last two starts, last out on turf and two back on poly at Keeneland. She caught a very strong group at Keeneland, three coming out of the race to win next out and three others came back to finish second in their next starts including the winner La Rocca, who came back to finish in the runner up spot in the Little Silver Stakes at Monmouth Park. The filly is a half to stakes winner Adriano ($728K).

#4 Ermine Slippers was off a step slow and not much of a threat last out in a sixth place finish on the turf. The filly was making her first start since shipping in from the left coast where she was 0 for 4, three of those starts coming on the fake stuff. Perhaps she will like a wet track. She is by El Prado out of a Strike the Gold mare and brought a strong number in the sales ring at $650K. She is a full sister to $2 million earner Borrego.

BEL Race 8 OClm $75,000N3X (6:36 et)

#10 Carson’s Legacy, #11 Tsali, #6 Due Date

#10 Carson’s Legacy gets the call and I doubt this colt is going to be 15/1 if this race is taken off the turf as expected. He makes his first start since a fourth place finish in Grade 3 company at Oaklawn Park where he was farther back than usual and rallied through traffic to finish just 1 1/4 lengths from the top spot. The third place finisher in that race was Accredit, who returned to win the Churchill Downs S. (G2) in his next start on 5/2. The colt returns off a two-month break and gets some class relief here dropping back into the allowance ranks. His lone go on a wet track was a winning one, a stake at Calder over a wet track back in ’07. The colt goes from one sharp barn to another for Padua and the colt looks like a good fit here.

#11 Tsali makes his first start since last summer at the Spa. His lone go over the main track was two back when he won at today’s Alw-3 condition. He has a win and a third place finish in two trips over a wet track and decent works on the morning tab for his return off the bench. Zito is 25% winners with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff.

BEL Race 9 Md $25,000 (7:08 et)

#11 Always Fishin, #1 Last Noble, #9 Steel Drums, #7 Cullinan

#11 Always Fishin drops in for a tag for the first time here in his third career start. His two starts have both been turf sprints and not he goes long for the first time. He was pinched back at the start in his debut, and then last out passed a few tiring runners in a sixth place finish, beaten four lengths for the top spot. The gelding has a decent off track pedigree if the rains come and figures to be a decent price here. He has four sibs that are winners, top earner Precious Too ($109K). Worth a stab here if we see close to the 15/1 ML.

#1 Last Noble has shown improvement in each out, last out a runner up finish for this tag going a mile on the turf. The gelding had to steady in traffic when caught down along the inside on the far turn. Ramon takes over for the Brown barn that has been sending out live runners at the meet, hitting at a 31% clip. The pedigree actually looks more suited to dirt, making him a legit threat to win here, possibly as the short priced favorite.

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: #8 Hangingonaprayer 8/1

R3: #6 Stormy 10/1

R4: #8 Japengo 12/1

R7: #4 Ermine Slippers 12/1

R7: #7 Recollect 10/1

R8: #10 Carson’s Legacy 15/1

R9: #11 Always Fishin 15/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!