Friday’s Picks from Belmont Park

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

The fall Belmont Park meeting got off to a good start for us as I had the winner of the first two races on opening day, but they were both steeplechase races, and I don’t know about you, but my wagering total on those two races was zero.

The first tough beat of the meet came in the sixth race. My top pick Evvie Jets set all the fractions and battled on gamely to the wire. His nose was in front except for right at the wire, and somehow my third choice Adelaide Miss got her nose up and paid $26.20. I thought the $96 exacta came up a bit light.

Although he beat me, it was great seeing jockey Kendrick Carmouche back in the irons after coming back from an injury. The way he finished on Adelaide Miss it looks as if he is back at 100%.

We did catch a nice winner in the eighth as Temple got the job done as our top pick at $16.20 and topped a $60.00 exacta with my third choice Kinenos.

No jump races today so we have nine races and we start earlier with a 1:00 post this afternoon. There are a pair of stakes on tap, the $100,000 Allied Forces and the $100,000 Christiecat.

We have a big day coming up on Saturday with four Breeders’ Cup Challenge races. One is at Belmont Park, a pair of Churchill Downs and one north of the border at Woodbine.

“America’s Day at the Races” is on FS2 from 12:30 to 5:30 ET with the action from Belmont Park. TVG is offering new players  up to a $300 Risk Free wager.  In addition, AmWager is offering up to a $500 bonus for new horseplayers.

To purchase my Belmont Park Report for Friday click here .

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

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

BELMONT PARK 1 ANALYSIS (1:00 P.M. ET)

 Race 1 Clm $10,000

• #7 Kumar 5-2
• #5 Tapalist 6-5
• #4 Hammerin Aamer 6-1
• #3 Heavy Roller 8-1

Analysis: Kumar chased the early pace and weakened to finish fifth last out against $25,000 claimers going nine furlongs over a wet track at the Spa. He beat $20,000 foes here at 1 1/16 miles, his third win in five trips over this dirt surface. He is jammed in here for $10,000 and four of his six career wins have come at a mile.

Tapalist stalked the early pace and came with a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot last out against $12,500 foes. The winner set the fractions over a racing strip that was kind to inside speed. The winner then came back to beat $20,000 claimers in his next start on Sept. 4 at the Spa by 5 1/2 lengths. He cuts back to a mile here for Diodoro and looks tough with the main knock the likely light price.

BELMONT PARK 8 ANALYSIS (4:44 P.M. ET)

Race 8 The Christiecat

• #5 Caldee 4-1
• #10 Bye Bye 5-2
• #9 Honey Pants 7-2
• #2 Sussex Garden 6-1

Analysis: Caldee is cutting back from a route at Ellis Park in the Dueling Grounds Preview where she tracked the early pace, took over the lead heading for home and got run down late in a solid runner up finish. The winner Flippant came back to win the Virginia Oaks and the third-place finisher Adventuring won the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs in her next outing. The Cox trainee has shown plenty of tactical speed to suggest she can handle the cut back to six furlongs. The barn is 24% winners moving runners from route to sprint. She beat Alw-1 optional claimers over the grass here and last year ran second in the Miss Grillo (G2).

Bye Bye was off last after getting squeezed back out of the gate in a field of 10 and came flying with a good late run to finish third in the Galway at 5 1/2 furlongs at the Spa, beaten a couple of heads for the top spot. She won the Soaring Softly (G3) three back at seven furlongs over the grass here in her first start against winners. A better start and the extra half furlong makes his gal really tough in this spot.

LIVE LONGSHOTS

These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their Pick 4 and Pick 5 wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win wager. 

Belmont Park

• R1: #3 Heavy Roller 8-1
• R2: #2 Megayacht 8-1
• R5: #3 Soulmate 10-1
• R6: #5 Life Is Great 12-1
• R9: #1 Captivating Cara 10-1
• R9: #3 Stormi Cat Lady 8-1

Good luck today!

VegasInsider Staff

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