Litfiin: Belmont pick four play for Sunday, May 3
Let’s close out opening week at Belmont with a late pick four play on an intriguing sequence.
RACE 6 – NEW YORK CHROME (7) moves from the rail to the outside post, and is the kind of second-time starter that routinely improves several lengths. He chased evenly behind a moderate pace at Aqueduct last month, and wound up just 1 1/2 lengths behind the more experienced GOT WINGED (5). Based on some fast workouts, he may be capable of showing more early speed on Sunday, and is preferred to turn the tables. The Maryland invader KOPPER WIRED tries New York-bred company, and is another second-timer who may produce a better effort, after breaking slow and running evenly in the mud at Laurel. The other potential inclusions - and you may want to wait designating them A’s or B’s until after the wagering opens – are the first-time starters LITTLE POPSIE (1) and JAI ALAI (3).
Main – 2, 7
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Backup – 1, 3, 5
RACE 7 – It’s Europe or bust in the second leg, where Chad Brown and Christophe Clement send out REGARDEZ (2) and SEA COAST for their respective United States debuts. Regardez looks to have kept classier company overseas, finishing close-up in a pair of Group 3 stakes last fall. However, painful personal experience has shown folly of underestimating Clement in spots like this, and Sea Coast was a close second in Ireland to Massinga, who subsequently won a small stakes for Dermot Weld.
Main – 2, 6
Backup – none
RACE 8 – In the featured Affirmed Success Stakes for New York-bred sprinters, CAPTAIN SERIOUS (6) will obviously take some beating after winning his first two starts of the year with peak Beyer Figures, but the key will be whether he can work out a comfortable trip in a match-up where several others may be forwardly placed. JOHN’S ISLAND (2) hasn’t run as fast as some of these, but he is a consistent stretch runner who may get a favorable pace setup. WEEKEND HIDEAWAY (7) and CURIOUS CAL (8) posted pace-pressing victories with triple-digit figures in their penultimate starts, and have tactical options breaking from the outside posts.
Main – 6
Backups – 2, 7, 8
RACE 9 – Most of the turf form in the second division of this New York-bred maiden claimer is toward the outside. SHE’S ROMAN (12) ran her best race going seven furlongs on the Widener last fall, and a reprise of that performance in this easier spot could be good enough. MOONDANCE JOY (10) and SUGAR MAGS (11) get some class relief dropping from special-weight races. BORN TO BE MILD (1), BACKWATER (3), WYCOMBE ABBEY (6) and HASHTAGSID (9) boast Tomlinson turf ratings of more than 300.
Main – 10, 11, 12
Backups – 1, 3, 6, 9