Litfin's Belmont pick four play for Saturday, Sept. 27

Let’s take a swing at Belmont’s all-Grade 1 pick four, which starts with the Flower Bowl (race 7) at 4:07 p.m. Eastern.

FLOWER BOWL

I liked Stephanie’s Kitten (#9) a lot more when I originally handicapped this race during Thursday’s rain, as she is 4 for 4 on non-firm turf and 2 for 10 on firm ground. After being listed as “good” yesterday, the courses are being labeled “firm” today.

I find it impossible to separate Abaco (#1) and Strathnaver (#4), who were heads apart in the Lady Baltimore at Laurel last fall and necks apart in the Ballston Spa five weeks ago. Alterite and Watsdachances are the backups.

A – 1, 4, 9
B – 6, 7

VOSBURGH

Private Zone (#7) shook loose early in wiring last year’s Vosburgh, but this projects as a difficult defense due to the presence of Zee Bros (#3) and Happy My Way (#6), the respective pacesetters in the Forego and A.G. Vanderbilt.

The likely race flow favors Palace (#1), who is 4 for 5 from the rail and loves Belmont; Coup de Grace (#2), who was pace-compromised in the King’s Bishop; and Salutos Amigos (#4), who had a tough setup chasing Kelso contender River Rocks off a freshening.

A – 1, 2, 4
B – 6, 7

JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC

The early going should be a cat-and-mouse game up front between Twilight Eclipse (#2) and Imagining (#3), who were fifth and sixth in this race a year ago. Big Blue Kitten (#1) and Real Solution (#1A), second and third in the 2013 Turf Classic after winning the Sword Dancer and Arlington Million on the same day six weeks earlier, will be rallying in tandem with Main Sequence, who has overcome slow starts to win his first two U.S. starts with big late runs.

A – 1, 5
B – 2, 3

:: Build your pick four ticket with DRF TicketMaker | DRF TicketMaker (Mobile)

JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP

Moreno (#11) couldn’t hold off Zivo (#4) after breaking from post 11 in the Suburban Handicap. Not only must Moreno deal with the same post again, but this time he’s got outside pressure from California shipper Big Cazanova (#12).

Zivo had a designed freshening after notching his sixth straight win in the Suburban and had a terrific tune-up in the Woodward four weeks ago.

The top three in the Travers, V. E. Day (#10), Wicked Strong (#3), and Tonalist (#8), are all logical threats. V. E. Day has never taken a backward step in his development. Wicked Strong has been more prominently positioned with blinkers on. Tonalist should be more relaxed early with the blinkers off today, and his workouts have improved since getting back to the scene of his wins in the Peter Pan and Belmont.

Prayer for Relief (#5) and Stephanoatsee (#9) are the potential bust-outs if everything has fallen the right way in the first three legs.

A – 3, 4, 8, 10
B – 11
C – 5, 9