After a three day hiatus, racing in New York is back in action this afternoon with the opening of the Belmont Park Fall Championship Meeting.

There are 34 stakes on the calendar including 22 graded stakes during the meet, which runs until October 25.

The opening day stake was supposed to be the $150,000 Bowling Green (G2) at 1 3/8 miles on the turf, but there is rain in the forecast and the NYRA decided to reschedule the race for Sunday.

The biggest day of the meeting is Super Saturday on October 3. There are five Grade 1 races on the card that day with purses of $2.4 million.

Many of the superstars of the game will use those races as their final preps for this year’s Breeders’ Cup.

The $600,000 Beldame could produce the Rachel Alexandra-Zenyatta showdown everyone is looking for, but that is certainly a longshot.

TVG/Betfair is offering to increase the Beldame purse by $400,000 if both of the superstar females show up.

However, Zenyatta will likely make her final start before the Breeders’ Cup in Southern California over a synthetic surface, and Rachel Alexandra may be done for the year according to her majority owner Jess Jackson.

Other stakes on the card that day are the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational, and the $400,000 Vosburgh.

The two year olds take center stage the following Saturday on October 10. Two year old colts and geldings will compete in the $400,000 Champagne, and the two year old fillies will do battle in the $400,000 Frizette.

One of the toughest days for handicappers will come on October 24, which is New York Showcase Day. There are seven stakes restricted to New York breds with $1 million in purses up for grabs. The feature will be the $250,000 Empire Classic.

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There are two Grade 1 races carded for this Saturday, the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap and the $300,000 Garden City Stakes.

The Ruffian drew a field of six fillies and mares. The likely favorite will be the Godolphin Stable owned Seventh Street, the recent winner of the Go for Wand (G1) at Saratoga in the slop on August 2.

The Garden City is a nine furlong turf event and there likely is going to be some give to the ground as rain was forecast for Thursday right through Saturday afternoon.

A field of nine three year old fillies will go to the post. Farnsworth Stables’ Gozzip Girl, who has won four of her last five starts is going to be tough to beat.

She won the Sands Point (G2) over yielding footing at Belmont Park on May 30, then won the American Oaks (G1) at Hollywood Park in her most recent outing.

Friday’s card holds some potential for profits, and I handicapped the races thinking we are going to be off the turf and the track will be wet.

To purchase my full card report for Belmont Park that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today, click here.

Here is today's opening race from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 Md Sp Wt (1:00 ET)
#3 Jac Roxs 10/1
#6 Saginaw 5/2
#4 African Knight 3/1
#2 Star of New York 7/2

Analysis: #3 Jac Roxs was not a threat in his debut, checking in sixth in a eight horse field at the Spa on August 2. Note this gelding took some play at the windows, sent off at 5/1, some live action considering Bailes shipped him in from Maryland. The race he exits has turned out to be highly graded, the runner up and fourth place finisher coming back to graduate in their next starts while the winner Al's Deputy came back to finish a good second against state bred Alw-1 company in his next start on August 30. The gelding has a decent off track pedigree and rain is in the forecast. He is by Soto out of a Take Me Out mare that has dropped two other foals to race, both winners, top earner Gilded Memory ($16K). The gelding has a couple of bullet works since his debut and Rosie picks up the call. Worth a good look here if we see close to the 10/1 ML.

#6 Saginaw made a good late rally to finish fourth in his debut, beaten 1 1/2 lengths for the top spot while checking in behind a couple of these he faces again today. Those two had the experience edge and this colt figures to move forward with a race under his belt. He is in good hands with the Chad Brown barn and he took some play in his debut, sent off at 5/1 in a field of 11.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 2,3,4,6
TRI: 3,6 / 2,3,4,6 / 2,3,4,5,6

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 8 Alw $50,000s (4:45 ET)
#6 Silver King 6/1
#8 Stevil 6/1
#10 El Tamberito 4/1
#11 Budget 5/1

Analysis: #6 Silver King set the early fractions and could not finish last out in a fourth place finish on the turf at Monmouth Park against Alw-1 foes. He is in a bit easier here facing starter allowance company and this gelding would benefit from the race being switched to the main track, which looks likely. The gelding is bred top and bottom to handle the off going, by Distorted Humor out of a Silver Deputy mare. She has a record of 4-2-1-0 on wet tracks in his career.

#8 Stevil finally hit the winners circle last out after 16 straight losses and had to dip in for a tag to get the job done. He was claimed out of the race by the Barbara barn that is showing a 0 for 8 mark first off the claim. This guy was on the Triple Crown Trail last year, so he has faced mostly tougher than he catches here. While his victory last out was on turf, it will be interesting to see how he handles a wet track. He has the pedigree, by Maria's Mon out of a Storm Creek mare. In his 18 career start he has not tried a wet track.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 6,8 / 6,8,10,11
TRI: 6,8 / 6,8,10,11 / 4,6,8,10,11,12

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R1: #3 Jac Roxs 10/1
R2: #4 Jazz Performer 12/1
R2: #7 Mywifenoseeverything 10/1
R4: #6 Ready for Change 8/1
R5: #3 Little Top / #3x Thomas Got Even 12/1
R9: #10 Regal Refrain 20/1

Good luck today!