Friday’s Picks from Belmont Park

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

Racing was washed off the turf yesterday at Belmont Park after four inches of rain fell between Tuesday and Wednesday.

This feature today is the $100,000 Oyster Bay which is scheduled to be on the turf at seven furlongs. A full field is entered if we are on turf.

The New York Racing Association decided to take the weekend turf stakes and move them to next week, which is the closing weekend of the meeting. Among those are the $200,000 Ticonderoga and Mohawk.

Saturday is Empire Showcase Day and we will still have six stakes on tap including the $300,000 Empire Classic Handicap which drew a field of eight state breds that will travel 1 1/8 miles on the main track, which has been fast but there is more rain in the forecast for Saturday.

The Todd Pletcher trained Americanrevolution is the 7-5 morning line favorite for the Empire Classic. The colt faces older after he checked in third in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) in his last outing, 6 ¾ lengths back of the winner Hot Rod Charlie, who is Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) bound.

We will head out to Keeneland on Saturday for the $200,000 Fayette (G2) which drew a field of nine that will go 1 1/8 miles. There is rain in the forecast for Lexington Friday night into Saturday afternoon.

Independence Hall is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The colt is coming off a runner up finish in the Lukas Classic (G3), a race won by early Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Knicks Go.

“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.

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

BELMONT PARK 1 ANALYSIS (12:35 P.M. ET)

Race 1 Md Sp Wt

• #3 Royally Blue 7-2
• #6 Mostly Harmless 8-5
• #5 Miss Invincible 8-1
• #2 Diamond Status 7-2

Analysis: Royally Blue debuts for the Klesaris barn that is 9% winners with first time starters. The filly is by Palace out of an Exchange Rate mare, her first foal tor race. She has decent looking works on the morning tab including a couple of good gate drills. Johnny V. takes the call and this is not a very tough looking spot for her unveiling.

Mostly Harmless made a mild late bid to check in third in her debut going 5 1/2 on turf at the Spa. She then caught a muddy track last out where she chased the early pace, had to check sharply when caught in traffic at the 5/8's and came back with a mild late run to finish third. A clean trip makes her tough here. She is out of the stakes winner Burban ($289,087) who has dropped one other runner, 7 for 20 Botero $89,610).

BELMONT PARK 8 ANALYSIS (4:21 P.M. ET)

Race 8 Clm $35,000B

• #4 Greatest Love 2-1
• #7 Take It Off 10-1
• #2 Rosey's Peach/ 2b Cazilda Fortytales 5-1
• #1 Malibu Luna 3-1

Analysis: Greatest Love was claimed by the Potts barn three back for $25,000 out of a runner up finish and she has won back to back races, beating restricted $30,000 foes two back and then last out rolling over Alw-1 company by 7 1/2 lengths at 4-5, both outings coming at Monmouth Park. She has now landed in the exacta in 6 of 8 trips and picks up Carmouche. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and finds a good spot here tagged for $35,000 and facing three-year-olds or non-winners of three. She looks capable of winning right back.

Take It Off was not a threat last out on turf against $40,000 starter allowance foes and has not done much running in either of her trips on turf. She is back on the main track here. Two back in the mud here against non-winners of three she set the early fractions and got run down late in a runner up finish. She caught a racing strip that was playing to outside stalkers and closers that day. A tricky barn that does some fishy things sometimes. She is going to be a price and figures to give a better showing here on the surface switch.

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: #5 Miss invincible 8-1
• R3: #6 Tekila 10-1
• R3: #1 Violent Vixen 8-1
• R4: #5 Yankee Division 8-1
• R5: #10 Beside Herself 8-1
• R8: #7 Take It Off 10-1
• R9: #7 Buy Land and See 12-1
• R10: #9 Alicia’s Way 8-1
• R10: #1 Sweetie Pie / 1a Write the Check 12-1

Good luck today!

VegasInsider Staff

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