Rain Rain go Away - Horse Picks from Soggy New York

Padding Your Bankroll: Wednesday June 24

Can the showers finally end and grass return in New York this afternoon?

That is the big question horseplayers will be asking this morning, as there are five races carded for the turf, with four of them part of the Pick 6, which has a carryover going into Wednesday’s card of $154,891.

There is about a 30% chance of showers this afternoon, and I am sure Belmont Park will do whatever it can to try and keep today’s races on the turf.

Today’s play of the day is a turf race, and the final two legs of our Late Pick 3 play are scheduled for the grass.

Today's Play of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 6 Md Sp Wt (3:40 ET)
#7 John Wyatt 5/1
#8 Cough Drop 12/1
#1 W.C. Jones / #1a Quiet on the Tee 3/1
#2 Storm Hope 7/2

Analysis: #7 John Wyatt was the beaten chalk last out in a race taken off the turf, his first go for Dutrow. The colt was no match for a 9 1/2 length winner in a runner up finish. The fourth and fifth place finishers in the race both came back to graduate in their next starts. Dutrow tries adding blinkers here as he may makes his turf debut. The colt is a bit on the light side pedigree wise but he still appears to have some upside and these are NY breds.

#8 Cough Drop had to check coming out of the gate and raced wide throughout in a eighth place finish last out in his first go off a 11 month layoff. The fourth place finisher in the race was Burnished Copper, who came back to graduate in his next outing on 6/13 versus maiden special weight company. I like his pedigree, by Lemon Drop Kid out of a Deputy Minister mare that has dropped a couple of winners including dirt stakes winner Time's Mistress ($261K). The gelding put in a bullet work since his last outing and the 12/1 ML looks tempting.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 1,2,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 1,2,7,8 / 1,2,6,7,8,10

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Belmont Park:

Starting in Race 7: $1: 4,7 / 1,4,8 / 1,3,7,9 = $24

BEL Race 7 Clm $10,000 (4:12 ET)
#7 Stephen's Rhythm's, #4 Smokin Sarah

#7 Stephen's Rhythm's came up just a neck shy of beating our second choice in here last out and looks capable of turning the tables here with a better ride, which she should get with the jock switch from Coa, who seems to do me no favors, to Lezcano. Last out the filly ducked out, drifted in the stretch, and battled on gamely to just miss. She drops back in for $10K where she was second for the tag two back behind repeat winner I'llthinkofsumthin, who beat open $35K claimers in her next start. The Guillo barn has been very live at this meeting, hitting at a 28% clip.

#4 Smokin Sarah was a neck in front of our top pick last out for a $16K tag and is jammed in here for $10K. The mare has landed in the exacta in 6 of 8 trips over the surface and runs well on wet tracks. She owns the edge in early and mid pace numbers and is a logical threat again here.

BEL Race 8 OClm $50,000N2X (4:45 ET)
#8 Speed Dating, #4 Princess Maura, #1 Offhand Remark