Race Selection: The 151st Belmont Stakes

By Rick Francis —-

Race 11) 1½ Mile. G1 Belmont S. Presented by NYRA Bets PRESENTED BY NYRA BETS
Post Time: ( 6:37)/ 5:37/ 4:37/ 3:37
ADVANCED FORECAST: Mostly Sunny, High 67, Low 62

9) War of Will (Casse/Gaffalione); many many still to this day believe jockey Tyler Gaffalione put this War Front colt into a closing hole that inevitably turned Kentucky Derby 145 upside down; horse and jockey are better than that effort. In the Preakness he returned to the form that’ll carry him here, staying just off the pace then close with authority. I don’t believe he’s better than Maximum Security and that issue will certainly be settled in the upcoming months.

4) Tax (Gargan/Ortiz, I.); some horses just don’t like eating mud and this Arch gelding ate a truckload in the Derby; prior to that start he never missed a spot on the board. He has the speed to be forwardly placed and a threat late.

10) Tacitus (Mott/Ortiz, J.); Tapit colt relished the Derby conditions where he closed from well back, that late kick works well in this spot.

2) Everfast (Romans/Saez); value play here. Take Charge Indy colt, though his prior placings on paper aren’t impressive, he has shown steady improvement culminating with a deep closing effort to place in the Preakness; worth a flyer for the top spot.

6) Spinoff (Pletcher/Castellano); throw out his Derby effort and this Hard Spun colt has been money at four different tracks.

The field for the 151st running of the Belmont Stakes:

1) Joevia (Sacco/Lezcano)
2) Everfast (Romans/Saez)
3) Master Fencer (Tsunoda/Leparoux)
4) Tax (Gargan/Ortiz, I.)
5) Bourbon War (Hennig/Smith)
6) Spinoff (Pletcher/Castellano)
7) Sir Winston (Casse/Rosario)
8) Intrepid Heart (Pletcher/Velazquez)
9) War of Will (Casse/Gaffalione)
10 Tacitus (Mott/Ortiz, J.)

SELECTIONS: 9, 4, 10, 2, 6