Litfin: Pick four play for Belmont on Sunday, May 17
It’s not Big Apple Showcase Day, but New York-breds dominate the Sunday program at Belmont Park. All five non-claiming races are for statebreds, including the first three legs of the late pick four, which we will take a swing at here.
Sixth race – The racing office did us a favor by positioning this maiden special-weight sprint as the opening leg, as there are a large handful of first-time starters. However, the new shooters will have to be pretty good to crack our top three of THANK YOU (2), TRUE BET (3), and WHALE ROCK (8).
A contenders: 2, 3, 8
B contenders: Any first-time starter(s) at odds of 6-1 or lower.
Seventh race – MACAGONE (1) and THURGOOD (2) both displayed ability at 3 and make their seasonal debuts in this preliminary allowance route on the inner turf. Thurgood removes blinkers after racing rankly in his only allowance attempt and ran well off workouts on this course last May. Macagone has been gelded for his return, and the blinkers also come off the likely pacesetter.
SONNYANDPALLY (8) and RUNAWAY POSSE (10) also figure prominently, while BLUE SHARK (9) comes off an improved performance graduating against $40,000 maidens.
A contenders: 1, 2, 10
B contenders: 8, 9
Eighth race – This looks like a good spot for HERE’S ZEALICIOUS (2), who was taken out of her best game when used early last out against Bar of Gold, who is 3 for 3 and headed for stakes. The 11-time winner gets a switch back to Angel Arroyo, who used rate-and-finish tactics with her at Aqueduct and may get the garden spot tracking MY WON LOVE (4) and BELLA THE BANDIT (7), who step up after beating lesser with their fastest Beyer Speed Figures to date.
LADY GRACENOTE (3) gets some class relief after running against stakes winner Miss Da Point, and owner-trainer Diane Balsamo excels on the cutback.
A contenders: 2, 3
B contenders: 4, 7
Ninth race – MIA AND MOLLY (8) tries maiden claimers for the first time after two starts at Gulfstream Park. She faced allowance repeater Strict Compliance in her debut and showed better positional speed a few weeks later when third to Kitten’s Road, a Chad Brown-trained first-time starter who was bet to favoritism.
LIRICA HEAT (6) ships in from California and fits well, although it’s always difficult to get overly excited about 5-year-old maidens.
A contenders: 8
B contenders: 6