Grass Racing Returns to Belmont Park - Thursday Picks

Padding Your Bankroll: Thursday June 25

Grass racing returned to Belmont Park yesterday for the first time in a week, as just one of the five turf races were moved to the main track.

The Pick 6 was hit (not by me), and things may finally get back to normal, as we should have a fast track and perhaps even a firm turf course.

The sun is going to be spotted in New York today.

The play of the day features a shipper from Canada, and we will invest $32 in our Late Pick 3 play.

The three race sequence starts with a first level allowance race for fillies and mares, and it looks like it will be the key to hitting the wager today.

We are going to single Warm Shower, who is going to be the short priced favorite. She comes into the race after facing classier foes and will prove very tough to beat today.

Today's Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 6 Alw $43,000N1X (3:40 ET)

#6 Private Battle 7/2

#3 Go Go Bar 5/2

#4 Sezzana 4/1

#2 High Cry 8/1

Analysis: #6 Private Battle ships in Canada and faces NY breds for the first time here. She makes her first start since a seventh place finish last September ands has been working here in NY for nearly two months. She was competitive in her first couple of starts versus open Alw-1 company before tailing off form in her last two starts. She now lands with the Levine barn that is 36% winners (with a +ROI) with newcomers to the barn, although the conditioner has been a bit quieter than normal at this meeting, winning at "just" a 12% clip.

#3 Go Go Bar was the beaten chalk last out, coming with a four wide run to take over the lead and getting out finished late, missing by just a neck. It was her first go off a five-month layoff. Two back against open Alw-1 foes she was a good third behind Pastel Gal, who returned to beat Alw-2 company in her next start, then was fourth and third in a couple of stakes tries. She is going to be tough to beat in this spot but the price again likely is going to be on the light side.

Wagering

WIN: #6 to win at 5/2 or better.

EX: 3,6 / 2,3,4,6

TRI: 3,6 / 2,3,4,6 / 1,2,3,4,6

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

Starting in Race 7: $2: 7 / 2,5,9,10 / 4,6,8,10 = $32

BEL Race 7 Alw $46,000N1X (4:12 ET)

#7 Warm Shower

#7 Warm Shower looks tough here as she drops out of the G2 Sands Point where she was a game second over yielding footing to the more accomplished Gozzip Girl. Two back she broke her maiden over the polytrack at Keeneland in a strong effort and that race has produced four next out winners. She was a $700K purchase with a nice pedigree, by Dynaformer out of the stakes winner Caught in the Rain ($455K) who was a six-time turf winner. She looks much the best in here.

BEL Race 8 Sabellina S. (4:45 ET)

#2 Remarkable Remy, #10 Absolute Heaven, #9 Pastel Gal, #5 Nehantic Kat

#2 Remarkable Remy was part of the pace and weakened late to finish seventh in the G2 Nassau at Woodbine. The filly was making her first start off a four-month break and this race looks like a good fit as she returns to the NY bred ranks here. She has won 3 of 6 over the turf here including taken the Pebbles here last fall and that was an open stake. In good hands with one of Canada's top barns. Pierce is showing a 25% win clip (with a +ROI) with horses making their second start off a 45-180 day layoff.