Today’s Pony Plays from Belmont Park

Padding Your Bankroll: Thursday July 9

We have about three weeks to sufficiently pad our bankroll before the start of the Saratoga meeting, which gets underway on July 29.

The Belmont Park card for Thursday could get us well on our way. I have at least one price play in seven of the nine races on the card.

The play of the day is the fifth race, and I have a golden opinion on My Golden Opinion, who is my top pick in the race.

The Late Pick 3 play is a $24 investment today, and while I do not have any bombs in the three-race sequence, we might be able to beat all three morning line favorites, which could set us up for a decent profit.

Today’s Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 5 Clm $20,000B (3:08 ET)

#4 My Golden Opinion 3/1

#1 Wanda’s Double / #1a Volos 7/2

#3 Moose Man 5/2

#5 Mr. Dr. Professor 5/1

Analysis: #4 My Golden Opinion stalked the early pace form the outside and finished evenly for third last out against $30K non winners of three. The winner of the race was Charging Hero, who came back to beat $25K starter allowance company on 6/30. The gelding makes his third start of his current form cycle for the Brown barn that is having a quiet meeting, hitting with just 4 of 52 starters. Looks like a good spot here.

#1a Volos returns off 2 1/2 month freshening after going 0 for 2 for the Jacobson barn after claiming him off Asmussen. Last out he made a mild late run to finish fourth in a highly graded race that produced three next out winners and a couple of runners that ran second next out. The barn is solid off the claim and the freshening should help this guy.

Wagering

WIN: #4 to win at 2/1 or better.

EX: 1,4 / 1,3,4,5

TRI: 1,4 / 1,3,4,5 / 1,3,4,5,7

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

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

BEL Race 7 Clm $25,000N3L (4:12 ET)

#1 African King / #1a Marq of Love, #3 Golden Weekend, #7 Hedgefund Investor, #9 Mitchell Park

#1a Marq of Love was beaten just a nose and a neck when third last outgoing seven furlongs versus $35K non winners of three. The gelding had to steady in traffic heading down the backstretch, raced between foes around the far turn and finished up well late. He drops $10K in price as he makes his third start of his current form cycle. Entry mate #1 African King beat $15K non winners of two by seven lengths last out in his first go for Jacobson off the claim. That effort came off a six month break and he could move forward off that effort, but is coming up light in the pedigree department for the turf.

#3 Golden Weekend set the early fractions in the slop and weakened to finish third last out against Alw-1 company. The gelding is 2 for 3 with a second in three trips over the weeds here. He looks tough if he runs back to his effort two back where he beat $35K non winners of two. The barn is potent and when Ramon is up the combo hits at a 46% clip.

BEL Race 8 OClm $50,000N2X (4:45 ET)

#3 Cable, #1 Solo Piano / #1a Treat Gently, #2 Viva La Flag

#3 Cable returns off a 2 1/2 month break and returns to turf after checking in third last out over poly at Keeneland, which was her first go off a eight month layoff. That was a pretty tough field she caught that day off the bench, three exiting the race to win next out. She is perfect on turf, breaking her maiden in her debut and then taking a Alw-1 race at the Spa despite getting off poorly. She has quite the pedigree, by Dynaformer out of the stakes winner Sterling Pound ($155K), who has dropped four other winners, all on turf including a couple of stakes winners, top earner Exchange Rate ($480K). Frankel sends out a pair and Ramon is listed on both so only one will go.

#1 Solo Piano went gate to wire to beat Alw-1 company last out and steps up a notch. She will again be a early pace threat in this spot if she goes. Her stablemate #1a Treat Gently would be making her first start since last fall and her U.S. debut. She is a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed. The barn is 16% winner with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff. She is a logical threat in this spot as she drops into the allowance ranks.

BEL Race 9 Md $25,000 (5:17 ET)

#2 Southern Spender, #8 Cappella Reale, #10 Ajustabull, #3 Winloc’s Big D

#2 Southern Spender drops back in for $25K and cuts back to six panels. Two back at this level and distance he checked in a decent third behind repeat winner Missile, who came back to beat $30K non winners of two in his next outing. He comes back with just a couple of days off but the barn has been going well at the meet and this looks like a weak spot.

#8 Cappella Reale was sent off at 5/1 in his debut in a field of five against NY bred maiden special weight company. The colt was not much of a threat and put on the sidelines and returns here tagged and with blinkers added. A couple of decent works on the morning tab and at least he has not proven how bad he is, as several others in here have. May end up the top pick here if #2 Southern Spender scratches.

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: #4 We Get It 10/1

R2: #5 General Maximus 10/1

R3: #4 Richland Creek 12/1

R4: #1 Champagne Brunch / #1a Fleet Appeal 10/1

R6: #4 Mind Boggling 10/1

R6: #5 Brazen Kat 8/1

R7: #9 Mitchell Park 15/1

R9: #10 Ajustabull 8/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!