Litfin: Belmont pick four play for Sunday, Oct. 12

Let’s take a shot at Sunday’s late pick four, a sequence in which the long-awaited return of Constitution in race 8 is surrounded by three turf races, including the featured $200,000 Athenia Stakes for fillies and mares.

Constitution’s task was made considerably easier when Dawly, Don Dulce, and Praetereo all opted to run in an off-the-turf race Saturday, but this still will be his first start away from Gulfstream Park, his first start since the Florida Derby, and his first start against older horses.

Race 7: Rain earlier in the weekend plays to the advantage of Marbre Rose (#12), as she makes her U.S. debut at seven furlongs on the Widener turf. Marbre Rose posted her initial win at the same distance over soft ground in France at 2, and this season has tangled with the likes of Xcellence and Fintry, who are both Group 1-placed overseas.

Several of the U.S.-based fillies she faces appear evenly matched, including Hope Cross (#1), Gratitude (#4), Almurra (#5), Ballerina Belle (#7), and Scatcapade (#8). Among those, Almurra has some price appeal on the cutback with second-time Lasix, after setting the pace against Monday’s Pebbles contender Kenzadargent.

A – 5, 12
B – 1, 4, 7, 8

Race 8: Constitution (#6) will be odds on, but Bad Hombre (#2) has bust-out potential getting back on Big Sandy, where he has posted all three of his victories.

Easter Gift (#3) was off form in two starts over the summer, but he was good enough to run third in the Clark last fall, and our eagle-eyed clocker Mike Vesce has some glowing reports about his recent workouts in the DRF Clocker Report.

A – 6
B – 2, 3

Race 9: Annecdote (#12) finished strongly to take the Noble Damsel in her U.S. bow but is drawn way outside and picks up weight in the Athenia.

Julie’s Love (#5) had a useful effort finishing third in the Athenia, in her first start since April and just her second since July of last year. She will be tighter for this and could get a terrific setup with some speedballs in the mix.

Overheard (#1), Maximova (#9), and Cushion (#11) are closers also looking at a potentially good scenario.

A – 5, 12
B – 1, 9, 11

Race 10: Not a great deal of non-firm turf form is on display in this maiden race on the Widener course, where casting is the way to go. The likeliest suspects seem to be Graceful Gal (#3), Manner of Speaking (#4), and Dreaming as Always (#11), but we’ll have some backups if the first three legs have unfolded well.

A – 3, 4, 11
B – 2, 7, 9