Grade 1’s Met Mile, Manhattan headline 4th of July at Belmont; Full-card Selections

By Rick Francis —-

As the Belmont summer meet nears its close, five graded stakes, topped by the Grade 1’s Runhappy Met Mile and Manhattan Stakes should make for an enjoyable Fourth of July. We’ll start with a closer look at the graded contests and selections for the undercard.

Race 9) 1 Mile Runhappy Metropolitan H. Grade I. Purse $500,000 A HANDICAP FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD
Post Time: ( 5:47)/ 4:47/ 3:47/ 2:47

Vekoma’s (2) dismantling of the Grade 1 Carter field here last month was nothing short of dominating. Sitting just off the leader, Candy Ride colt came a bit wide and drew away to win by over seven lengths. To get the job done today he’ll have to bring a performance similar to that effort as to his immediate outside sits the ” prototypical” handicap horse, multi-millionaire and 2019’s runner-up McKinzie (3). Street Sense 5-year-old tuned up for this contest with a in hand win in the G2 Triple Bend at Santa Anita. In the money with 14-of-16 career starts, he knows how to get it done.

2019 Travers champ Code of Honor (5) was all-game in taking the Grade Westchester last month, contested in the mud. Noble Mission colt owns a sparking Belmont record of three wins and a second from four starts. Making his third start in Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s barn, Endorsed (6) meets his aforementioned nemesis for the fourth time, having yet to best him.

Selections: 2, 3, 5, 6

Race 10) 1&1/4 Mile. (Inner Turf) Manhattan S. Grade I. Purse $400,000 INNER TURF FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD
Post Time: ( 6:20)/ 5:20/ 4:20/ 3:20

Trainer Chad Brown sends out three for this Grade 1 turf test, (1) Instilled Regard, Rockemperor (2) and Devamani (5), all major win threats; however we’ll look to a pair of 7-year-olds to bring home the Grade 1 ring with Sadler’s Joy (4) and Dot Matrix (7), he of the dangerous Brad Cox barn (28 percent at the meet).

Keeping the field honest will be contenders Cross Border (3), Channel Maker (6) and Spooky Channel (8), all to be considered potential upsetters in multi-race plays.

Selections: 7, 4, 2, 5

Race 11) 1&1/4 Mile. Suburban S. Grade II. Purse $200,000 FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD
Post Time: ( 6:51)/ 5:51/ 4:51/ 3:51

An accomplished field of eight 4-year-olds and up go to post for the days final graded stakes with the running of the G2 Suburban Stakes. Looking to the inside and outside for the top pick we’ll take Juddmonte Farms, Bill Mott trained son of Tapit, Tacitus (1). Though this colt hasn’t visited the winners circle since taking 2019″s Wood Memorial, he’ll be making his third start of the year for a trainer who excels in this spot.

Far outside sits a hot colt out of Medaglia d’Oro, Moretti (8), who for Repole Stables, Eclipse Thoroughbreds enters having won two straight; add Mr. Bluff (4) and Sir Winston (6) and you have the days final superfecta.

Selections: 1, 8, 4, 6

FULL-CARD SELECTIONS:
Post Time 1:15 EDT

Race 1) 8, 11, 4, 12
Race 2) 10, 7, 6, 3 + 1
Race 3) Grade 3 Victory Ride 1,2/ all
Race 4) 1, 3, 6, 5
Race 5) 7, 6, 1, 3
Race 7) 8, 1, 4, 2
Race 8) Grade 3 Poker Stakes 9, 7, 2, 3, 4
Race 9) Grade 1 Runhappy Met Mile Handicap 2, 3, 5, 6
Race 10) Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes 7, 4, 2, 5
Race 11) Grade 2 Suburban Stakes 1, 8, 4, 6