Hammersly: Belmont Park pick five play for Saturday, Oct. 7

The beasts of the handicap division Arrogate and Gun Runner aren’t in Saturday’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont, and that may pave the way for one of the upstart 3-year-olds in the race to cap your pick five ticket.

Race 7

HELOOKSTHEPART (#6) finished strongly to just miss at 11-1 for $32,000 at Saratoga Aug. 16, and now he drops a notch. That Aug. 16 run came off a layoff just like this. TALE OF E DUBAI (#8) won for $32,000 Sept. 8 in his only start on this track. He then faded as the favorite against allowance foes at Parx. Returning to this track and back in for a tag can get him back on track. TOO FAST TO PASS (#1) has been knocking on the door, and the return to this level may be what the doctor ordered. SARATOGA WILDCAT (#3) was claimed by trainer David Jacobson for $20,000 here Sept. 17, and Jacobson has strong off-the-claim numbers. He appears to be improving.

A’s) 6, 8

B’s) 1

C’s) 3

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Race 8

HONORABLE TREASURE (#9) looked super blasting maidens at Saratoga Aug. 19. He makes his first start vs. winners and first routing, but he looks quite promising, and that maiden win was flattered when runner-up Ezmosh, beaten by 6 ¼ lengths, came right back to win. HAZZIT (#11) came out firing to win his debut, which came at Saratoga Aug. 26. This $430,000 son of War Front hails from the Todd Pletcher barn, one of the game’s top stables for juveniles. GOOD MAGIC (#6) is a maiden facing winners, but the $1 million son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin ran splendidly in his only start to be second to HAZIT, so he certainly fits.

A’s) 9, 11

B’s) 6

C’s) None

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Race 9

BRICKS AND MORTAR (#6) and YOSHIDA (#2) have been knocking heads the past couple months and there’s little separating them. BRICKS AND MORTAR did have some trouble when third in the Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga Sept. 2, and that was his first loss in five starts. YOSHIDA finished gamely for second in the Saranac, and save for in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, which may have been too far for him, he’s fired every time. TICONDEROGA (#8) is capable of big things when in the mood. The $850,000 son of Tapit has been off since he was no factor in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, and move to this shorter trip may get him back on track.

A’s) 2, 6

B’s) 8

C’s) None

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Race 10

PAVEL (#4) laughed at rivals in Parx’s Grade 3 Smarty Jones. That was just his third start, so there’s a ton of upside here. Even when he ran fourth in the Grade 3 Jim Dandy, just his second start, he performed well. GOOD SAMARITAN (#3) looked super winning the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, but left himself with too much to do in the Grade 1 Travers. The addition of blinkers may get him more involved early on. KEEN ICE (#7) doesn’t win all that often but he keeps coming, and this 1 ¼-mile trip is his best game. RALLY CRY (#5) was no match for Gun Runner in the Grade 1 Woodward, but he ran second with some nice horses behind him.

A’s) 3, 4

B’s) 5, 7

C’s) None

Race 11

MINSKY MOMENT (#4) tries turf for the first time. He’s shown ample talent on the main track, and his trainer, Chad Brown, is among the elite with turf runners. MISSION LEADER (#3) came back from a layoff with a strong second at 19-1 at this level at Saratoga Aug. 31. With that under his belt he might do even better. RED KNIGHT (#7) finished a nose behind MINSKY MOMENT in his debut on a sloppy track here June 18, and came back to beat maiden on turf here July 15. He’s worked well for this. STORM PROPHET (#1) has been knocking on the door and may be ready to break through and get that elusive second win.

A’s) 3, 4

B’s) 7

C’s) 1