Today’s Plays of the Day from Belmont Park – Three Race Picks

Padding Your Bankroll: Wednesday April 29

It is Derby Week, with just three days before the big dance on Saturday, the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby.

As an added bonus, Belmont Park opens today, and that should mean we should see a gradual improvement in the racing in the Big Apple.

The last couple of weeks on the inner surface were weak, to put it nicely.

We will see plenty of turf racing at Belmont Park, with four of the races on opening day on the grass, including today’s play of the day.

Our Pick 3 play kicks off in the seventh race today, and we have four longshots in the three-race sequence on our $24 base ticket.

Today’s Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 4 Md $35,000 (2:36 et)
#7 Royal Tapit   10/1
#10 Macho Chick   9/2
#2 Southern Spender   5/1
#4 Hot Pace   7/2

Analysis: #7 Royal Tapit drops back in for a tag here for the Brown barn as the colt makes his second start off a three-month break. The colt showed some promise last fall with a runner up finish over the turf here in just his second career start. The son of Tapit has one sib that has won on turf, multiple stakes winner Certifiably Crazy ($606K). The colt figures to move forward second off the bench for a barn that has hit at a 42% clip (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a 45-180 day layoff.

#10 Macho Chick was sent off as the chalk last out when he returned off a nine-month layoff and checked in third for this tag. The colt caught a soft turf and figures to be fitter second off the bench. The colt is a half to three turf winners including Rotsaluck ($522K) and Chilly Rooster ($377K).

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 7,10 / 2,4,7,10
TRI: 7,10 / 2,4,7,10 / 2,4,5,6,7,10

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

Starting in Race 7: $1: 2,7 / 2,7,9 / 7,9,11,12 = $24

BEL Race 7 Alw $45,000N1X (4:12 et)
#2 Positive Prospect, #7 Pull Dancer

#2 Positive Prospect is making her first start since last summer at the Spa where she was fourth versus $40K claimers. That was a highly graded race that produced three next out winners. The filly was claimed out of the race by the Tony D. barn that is 33% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim and is 31% winners with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff. She has won 2 of her 3 career starts on the lawn, both over the turf course here.

#7 Pull Dancer was the beaten fav last out over the poly at Keeneland, checking in fourth. She was off poorly and had to check in traffic on the far turn two back in her turf debut at Gulfstream Park. Two runners came out of that racer to win next out while the winner Our Dahalia came back to finish third and fourth in a couple of graded stakes. She looks like she has been facing tougher and looks like a good fit here.
           
BEL Race 8 Westchester S. G3 (4:45 et)
#7 Bribon, #2 Cave’s Valley, #9 Formidable

#7 Bribon did not fire his best last out when fourth in the G2 Gulfstream Park ‘Cap, checking in fourth of six. Three have come out of the race to run well in stakes including the runner up Finallymadeit, who won the G3 Skip Away in his next outing on 4/4. The gelding is reunited with Garcia who was aboard for his last two wins, both at today’s one turn mile distance. He owns a solid pace profile throughout and figures to bounce back with a better effort here.

#2 Cave’s Valley is coming into the race in very sharp for the Trombetta barn. The colt beat optional claimers last out at Laurel Park going seven furlongs, earning a career top in the effort. He has a couple of wins at today’s distance and this guy figures to get overlooked on the tote.

BEL Race 9 Clm $35,000N2L (5:17 et)
#11 Gold Weekend, #12 Wild Way, #7 Carry the Day, #9 Sunday Dreamer

#11 Gold Weekend drops in for a tag for the first time hereafter checking in a good second last out over poly at Keeneland versus Alw-1 company. Two back he was third against a tough group of Alw-1 foes at Gulfstream Park on the main track. The winner of the race was Big Red Hope, who returned to beat Alw-2 optional claimers in his next outing on 4/15 at Gulfstream. The gelding is 1 for 5 on turf and ran a game second over the turf here last fall versus Alw-1 company. If he can run back to that effort he would be very tough to beat.

#12 Wild Way makes his turf debut here for the Hills barn. The colt is on the light side pedigree wise but adds blinkers and gets a jock upgrade from the bug to Garcia and is making his third start of his current form cycle. Worth tossing in the mix here at a decent price.

Price Plays From Aqueduct:
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: #7 Royal Tapit   10/1
R6: #7 Judge Well   8/1
R6: #1 Kelsew Special / #1a Digger Karakorum   8/1
R7: #1 Golden Artemis   8/1
R8: #2 Cave’s Valley   15/1
R9: #12 Wild Way   10/1
R9: #7 Carry the Day   15/1
R9: #9 Sunday Dreamer   20/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!