Litfin: How I'd play Belmont on Sunday, Sept. 14

I’m not loaded with wise-guy opinions Sunday at Belmont, as most of the races are either pretty straightforward or maiden races with first-time starters that call for a wait-and-see approach.

The first morning-line favorite I’ll probably try to beat is Brilliant Jewel (race 3), who has lost seven straight at 3-1 or lower the past two years. Remarkable received a fair-to-middling Beyer Speed Figure of 65 for her debut. However, the real story was the fast early fractions she dueled through that helped set the table for winning mate Running Wild, who dead-heated for the win, and runs back in allowance company in Sunday’s opener.

I may try to get Brilliant Jewel out of the exacta as well, depending on the betting action and appearance regarding Christophe Clement’s uncoupled first-time starters, Royale Rose and Savvy Sassy, both of whom are related to graded stakes winners.

Street Shark and Broad Rule (race 6) will be linchpins for me in rolling pick threes. They seem like the quintessential sharp horses moving up the ladder, and this is a claiming sprint in which several of their opponents are questionable on form.

I like Chief Kitten in the finale off his runner-up finish first out against stablemate Startup Nation, who came back to win the Grade 2 With Anticipation very impressively. I’ll try to improve on the win odds by anchoring him in the all-turf late pick four. At 50 cents a combination, it’s a $48 play as follows:

ALL with 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 with 6, 8 with 6.

Best of luck!