Belmont Stakes Day: Full-Card Selections

By Matt Pappis
TSV Staff Writer —-

Tracksideview’s Matt Pappis is on the grounds of Belmont Park and offers up his full-card selections as well as Pick-4 & Pick-5 plays.

Race 1: 4-7-1-5

Race 2 Easy Goer Stakes

West Coast (7): Ships in from California for Baffert and should get a great trip with little speed in the race.

Local Hero (5): Never had a chance to run in the Pat Day Mile and should be improved here though he doesn’t like to win he is always around at the wire.

Tale of Silence (6): Getting back to the one turn was exactly what he needed and was impressive when winning his last over this course.

Race 3 Grade II Brooklyn

Governor Malibu (1): Comes back on two weeks rest after failing to win the Commentator when having an awful trip. He won the Belmont at this distance over this course.

Tu Brutus (5): Was very impressive in the Flat Out and should continue his progression in the states.

Doyouknowsomething (6): Has been in the trifecta 20-of-30 career starts and he is a horse I want in my exotics at a big price.

Race 4 Grade I Acorn

Tequilita (6): Her best races were all at one turn and she will get back to that style after a failed attempt over the off going in the Oaks.

Union Strike (1): Was compromised by the bias on Oaks day and will put in a huge run 3rd off the layoff. There is not too much pace in here but it should be more of a fair track then she last saw where she barely missed.

Abel Tasman (3): Won the Oaks when the pace had a total meltdown, she is a nice horse but will be over bet at the windows.

Benner Island (5): Was much better when cutting back to sprinting but she was added by a bias that Javier Castellano took advantage of that day.

Race 5 Grade I Ogden Phipps

Carina Mia (7): Second off the layoff for her here and she will get another shot at champion Songbird.

Songbird (6): Hollendorfer isn’t flying across the country to make her first start since the Breeders Cup if she’s not ready, however she hasn’t run a one turn race since the second start of her career; we will take a small shot to beat her.

Highway Star (1): Comes in third off the layoff and razor sharp but will have a tall order to beat these two.

Suggested .50 cent Pick 5
1,4,5,7/ 7/1,5/ 1,3,5,6/ 6,7 = $32

Race 6 Grade III Jaipur

Loose on the Town (1): There is not too much speed in this one and he has gotten better since getting on the turf.

Pure Sensation (3): He ran like he needed one off the bench last time and if he can get back to any of his previous races, this is his race to lose. He is two for two at Belmont and looking to defend his title from last year.

Stormy Liberal (10): Has shown talent in doing just about everything he’s tried. Peter Miller has had success on the east coast the past few weekends with Paco Lopez.

Race 7 Grade II Woody Stevens

American Anthem (8): Throw out his two turn races and it makes him much the one to beat. He gets speed to run at; rolls by them all late.

Petrov (11): The cutback is just what this one needs, he’s the only other one I’ll use on top other than American Anthem.

Classic Rock (2): Rattled off three straight big wins; faces a major class test here.

Recruiting Ready (3): Super talented horse but coming back on too short of rest for me to put in in the trifecta.

Race 8 Grade I Just a Game

Roca Roja (2): Was very intrigued that the connections sent Lady Eli to California last weekend instead of running here which leads me to believe that they think she’s the better one now. She has shown the ability to sit close or come from well back; she’ll be tough in this spot.

Dickinson (1): Comes in off three straight wins including a victory over Lady Eli. She should sit a beautiful trip from the rail.

Celestine (5): Three for three over the course but will be battling for the lead early, don’t think she can duel for the lead and hold off both closers.

Race 9 Grade I Met Mile

Tom’s Ready (8): His running style was significantly compromised last out vs the bias on Derby Day. There is more than enough pace in here to set it up for him to come running late and swoop past them all.

Sharp Azteca (5): The ride in Dubai wasn’t very good to say the least, he is a freak and has the ability to run them off their feet today. The one thing holding me back from him being the top pick is Navarro’s poor numbers in NY.

Awesome Slew (12): Was also compromised by the bias on Derby Day and just missed; he has turned into a very nice horse since entering the Casse barn.

Denman’s Call (3): A third horse compromised by the bias on Derby Day, we used him that day and we will not get beat by any horse off the bad bias that weekend.

Race 10 Grade I Manhattan

Time Test (4): Hung terribly in his local debut but picks up Castellano and the added distance is just what he needs.

World Approval (3): Drew away for fun on Preakness weekend and will be a tough customer right back as the sharpest one of the group.

Sadler’s Joy (9): Love the jockey Smith to money Mike, he was compromised by the small field last out and should get more pace to run after.

Race 11 Grade I Belmont Stakes

This is not a strong Belmont if you are playing a pick 3 or 4 use as many horses as your budget allows.

J Boys Echo (4): He never saw as much traffic trouble as he did on Derby Day and was totally taken out of his game sitting too close to the pace. He will get his jockey back who was hurt for the Derby, and we all know Dale pulls some of the biggest upsets in racing.

Gormley (3): There is not much pace in the race so he should be able to sit the trip on the rail behind Meantime and Irish War Cry. He has finally learned to rate, which makes him a big player in a bad race.

Tapwrit (2): He was super consistent until the Bluegrass but like we said, this is not a very good group and his best race makes him a legit contender.

Multiplier (10): The Preakness was his first poor race, but any of his prior starts put him into contention here at a big price.

Suggested Pick .50 cent Pick- 4

1,2/ 3,5,8,9,12/ 1,3,4,9/2,3,4,7,10 = $100

Race 12: 3- 2b – 11 – 1

Race 13: 3-6 -10 -11