Thanks to Memorial Day grass winners Indy Sea ($24.60), Holabird ($21.40), and Mr Rosenthal ($17.80), there is a $38,265 pick six carryover that gets under way with race 4 at 2:53 p.m. Eastern.
Todd Pletcher swept three progressively richer stakes on the new-look Memorial Day program, as Red Velvet (2nd, $7.90) blitzed the $100,000 Jersey Girl, Gala Award (4th, $7.40) nipped Flamboyant in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge, and Jack Milton (8th, $7.70) finished explosively to win the $300,000 Poker going away.
DRF Plus handicapping analysis for Belmont on Thursday, May 29.
DRF Plus closer looks for Belmont on Thursday, May 29.
Matador, who was scratched from last Sunday’s Marine Stakes, should be favored in the second race, a 1 1/16-mile allowance for 3-year-olds that has a $75,000-$72,500 claiming option.
Ami’s Holiday’s winless streak continued in the $140,000 Marine Stakes, but he was clearly best in the 1 1/16-mile route and therefore looms a solid contender for the July 6 Queen’s Plate off his fine effort in the open stakes for 3-year-olds.
Although Monday’s opener at Churchill hit a new low for the track, when a field of six $5,000 claimers was scratched down to only two runners, fans in attendance didn’t seem too put out by watching a pair of horses run in an unscheduled match race, even applauding the finish.
While the Met Mile has been moved from its traditional spot on Memorial Day and will be part of the Belmont Stakes Day program, there are three progressively richer stakes sprinkled through the holiday card – the $100,000 Jersey Girl (race 2), the $200,000 Pennine Ridge (race 4), and the $300,000 Poker (race 8).
The ups and downs of the game were felt by Starlight Racing and Todd Pletcher in the matter of just a few hours.
Trip notes by Michael Hammersly for graded stakes races from Saturday, May 24.
