At the Gate – Wednesday

We start off the week with a $45,879 Pick 6 carryover on Wednesday at Belmont Park and the prospects of another day with the races washed off the turf.

There are five races carded for the grass this afternoon but with rain falling most of the day on Tuesday and more in the forecast for Wednesday, am assuming we will be moved to the main track today. We also have two very important turf races coming up Saturday, so it might be better to save the turf for the upcoming weekend.

However, we all know who accurate the weather forecast can be.

On Saturday we have two Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on turf at Belmont Park—the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) and the $200,000 Pilgrim (G2).

Also on the card are the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and the $300,000 Vosburgh (G1), both Win and You’re In races that will be contested on the main track.

On Saturday we will also venture out to Santa Anita where there are four Breeders’ Cup Challenge races including the $3000,000 Awesome Again (G1), a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

After rain through Wednesday night conditions will improve throughout the rest of the week in New York and we should be fast and firm for Saturday’s big card.

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package for just $99.95. It gives you a month of Belmont Park daily and my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.

To purchase my Belmont Park Report for Wednesday click here.

Here is the opener from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 OClm $40,000N2X (1:30 ET)
#5 Cotton Candy Cutie 7-2
#1 Might Be 6-5
#4 Take Charge Aubrey 8-5
#2 Rachel's Blue Moon 6-1

Analysis: Cotton Candy Cutie
appears likely to offer the best value among the top three in this short field. The RRod runner makes her first start since March 31 where she chased the early pace and could not get the gate to wire winner in a runner up finish in the Sis City. The winner Frostie Anne has come back to win her next five starts, most recently taking the state bred Saratoga Dew on Aug. 17. The barn is 17% winners with runners coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. The mare should get a good tracking trip sitting just off the pace. She ran well in her lone go over a wet track.

Might Be took the field gate to wire to beat state bred Alw-1 foes last out by nine lengths as the heavy favorite. She returns off a three month break here for the Englehart barn that is 23% winners (with a +ROI) with runners returning off a 61-180 day layoff. A bullet work on Sept. 21. She owns solid early and mid pace numbers and is bred to like a wet track which we may see today.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 5 / 1,4
TRI: no play

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

BEL Race 7 Clm $32,000 (4:46 ET)
#2 Take It to Scale 3-1
#4 Felix in Fabula 9-2
#7 Coltandmississippi 7-5
#6 Malibu Strings 12-1

Analysis: Take It to Scale
dueled for the early lead and could not go with the winner late in a runner up finish last out on the main track at the Spa against $16,000 non-winners of two. He was claimed out of the race, going from Brown to Maker who is 13% winners first off the claim. Two good works on the morning tab since his last outing, the most recent a bullet drill. He steps up to $32,000 but as facing older and is now in with straight three-year-olds.

Felix in Fibula was off a beat slow last out leaving him last year and he was not much of a threat in a sixth-place finish against $40,000 foes. The colt was claimed out of the race by the Diodoro barn that is 21% winners first off the claim. He earned a solid number two back beating $40,000 claimers over the main track here. He has landed in the exacta in 5 of his 8 career starts and looks like a good fit here if this comes off the grass as expected.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,4 / 2,4,6,7
TRI: 2,4 / 2,4,6,7 / 1,2,4,6,7

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
R4: #3 Astrology Hill 12-1
R7: #6 Malibu Strings 12-1
R8: #4 Summer Squeeze 8-1

Good luck today!