Padding Your Bankroll – Wednesday Horse Picks from Belmont Park

Padding Your Bankroll: Wednesday June 17

After watching most of the turf races moved to the main track last week at Belmont Park, we might finally be able to go a day without cursing Mother Nature.

There is only a 10% chance of rain on Wednesday, and after a two-day break in racing in New York, the turf course, which was labeled “soft” on Sunday, should be in better shape for today’s nine race card.

Our play of the day is scheduled for the turf, as is two-thirds of our late Pick 3, which starts in the seventh race.

Today’s Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 5 Clm $25,000N3L (3:08 et)
#9 Prime Obsession   15/1
#3 Press Only   8/1
#8 Lemon Shore   4/1
#10 Snowstalker   6/1

Analysis: #9 Prime Obsession is making his second start off a 5 1/2 month layoff and drops into restricted company after a fifth place finish at Penn last out versus open $50K claimers. The gelding likely needed a race and the extra furlong here should suit. He has done his best running over the turf here (10-2-3-3) and has handled ground with some give to it, which we might see today as well. The profile barn should assure we catch a fair price in this wide open race in which six runners are cutting back off routes.

#3 Press Only is one of those cutting back off a route. Last out going two turns at the $35K non winners of three level he jumped a shadow at the half mile pole and flattened out in the stretch. The runner up in the race was Bad Action, who came back to beat $25K starter allowance company in his next outing on Sunday. The gelding is winless in five starts on turf but he does have six sibs that are grass winners and two back he missed by just a head, which was his first start off the claim by the Brown barn. He draws the inside and with the blinkers added figures to be in the mix early.

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 8/1 or better.
EX: 3,9 / 3,8,9,10
TRI: 3,9 / 3,8,9,10 / 3,7,8,9,10,11

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

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

BEL Race 7 Alw $50,000s (4:12 et)
#3 Marl, #2 D’Wildcard, #5 Risque

#3 Marl came off a 3 1/2 month break with a sharp win versus $35K non winners of two on turf here going seven furlongs. The colt should have no problem handing the extra distance here as he is by Mizzen Mast out of the Irish bred stakes winner Hasteby ($142K). Frankel finds the perfect spot here protecting him in this starter allowance race. Decent value if we see most of the 6/1 ML.

#2 D’Wildcard came off a similar layoff to our top pick with a good runner up finish at this level. The gelding had to wait behind a wall of horses exciting the far turn, came with a four wide bid and finished well, getting up to grab the place spot in a photo. The gelding earned a career top in the effort and looks like the late running gelding will see some pace in front of him here. He is out of the stakes placed D’Enough, who also dropped the very quick dirt stakes winner D’Wildcat ($571K), a full brother to this guy.

BEL Race 8 OClm $50,000N2X (4:45 et)
#3 Rollers, #9 Digger

#3 Rollers is back on dirt here after prompting the early pace and tiring to finish fifth last out against NY bred stakes company. The colt popped a career top four back in a runner up finish in the G3 Mr. Prospector, and we can find excuses for his efforts since. Three back was poly, two back he did not take to the Del Park main track in a highly graded race that produced three next out stakes winners. Ramon sticks and this colt gets some class relief returning to the allowance ranks.

#9 Digger drops out of stakes company in NJ where he pressed a sharp early pace and tired to finish fifth. The gelding went gate to wire two back over the main track here versus $25K starter allowance company. The ten time winner owns the edge in early pace numbers and will be the one to catch. Worth tossing in the mix here if we see most of the 12/1 ML.

BEL Race 9 Md $35,000 (5:17 et)
#3 American Prayer, #11 Precision Farming, #1 Gypsy Camp, #7 Chick in Slacks

#3 American Prayer is returning off a three month break and tries turf for the first time here for the Bush barn that is 26% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. She was third last out in a $40K maiden claimer on the main track. The top two finishers in that race both won next out. The winner Cherokee Gem took a $50K starter allowance race while runner up Dancing With Lions defeated $25K maiden claimers in her next start. She is light in the pedigree department for turf, by Quiet American out of a stakes placed Wavering Monarch mare that has dropped four dirt winners including a pair of stakes winners but no turf winners. She has had trouble in two of her three starts and if she takes to grass she can score here at a decent price.

#11 Precision Farming makes her debut for the Rice barn that is 13% winners with firsters. The filly is by Smart Strike (11% first turf) out of the stakes winner Health Farm ($126K) who has dropped six foals to race, three dirt winners with no turf winners. Her top earning offspring is stakes winner Social Director (4 for 7, $105K). The barn is always dangerous in turf sprints and this is not a real tough spot 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: #3 Mr. Bourbon Street   8/1
R4: #6 Rock Candy Mt.   8/1
R5: #9 Prime Obsession   15/1
R5: #3 Press Only   8/1
R8: #9 Digger   12/1
R8: #1 Executive Fleet   8/1
R9: #3 American Prayer   12/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!