Belmont Stakes Expert Analysis - Pick 4 Ticket

As always, Triple Crown days offer one of the best Pick 4s that any BetUS online racebook fan is likely to wager.

Even though the Belmont Stakes, the final jewel of the Triple Crown, is more a Calvin Crown than a Triple Crown, the Pick 4 sequence figures to pay handsomely should horseplayers hit it.

I’ve constructed a ticket that I believe has a good chance of hitting on Saturday.

Let’s take a look at it.

Leg A: Race 8

Grade II Woody Stephens

Horses: 1-Regal Ransom/1A-Everyday Heroes, 2-This One’s For Phil, 4-Munnings, 8-Hull

Analysis: Both Regal Ransom and Everyday Heroes have a shot to win this. Regal Ransom is a classy horse and Everyday Heroes goes into this with the best speed rating of the bunch. Well, he’s tied with the Todd Pletcher trained Munnings who finished second in his first race of 2009 and should improve. This One’s For Phil is trained by Richard Dutrow and has been running in some serious races. The distance is perfect for him. Hull could lay behind the speed to his inside and then draw off at the top of the stretch. Hull is undefeated and will be looking to remain that way.

Leg B: Race 9

Grade I Acorn Stakes

Horses: 4-Funny Moon, 8-Justwhistledixie

Analysis: Justwhistledixie would have given Rachel Alexandra a run for her money in the Kentucky Oaks if she hadn’t scratched. Like Rachel, she’s been on a tear lately winning her last 5 races. She’s undefeated since breaking her maiden in October of 2008. Funny Moon has won her last two races for hot trainer Christophe Clement. The daughter of Malibu Moon has been extremely professional in her last two and could take a big jump in this race. Her speed ratings say she’s got a shot at big odds.

Leg C: Race 10

Grade I Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap

Horses: 1-Court Vision/1A-Optimer, 2-Champ Elysees/2B-Zambezi Sun, 5-Gio Ponti, 6-Wesley

Analysis: The horse that figures to go off as the favorite, Cowboy Cal, is stuck in the 13 hole. That should seriously compromise his chances. Court Vision won the Grade I Hollywood Derby on the turf and should be able to close into a very fast pace. His stable mate, Optimer, has no shot but could set things up for Court Vision. Both Champ Elysees and Zambezi Sun have a chance to win this race as both are in good enough form and come from the Bobby Frankel barn. Gio Ponti showed guts winning his last race by a nose and figures in this as jockey Garret Gomez never makes mistakes. Wesley has run two very good races in a row and wouldn’t need to improve much to win this race.

Leg D: Race 11

Grade I Belmont Stakes

Horses: 6-Charitable Man

Analysis: The final race in the Pick 4 sequence, the Grade I Belmont Stakes, will showcase Calvin Borel and Mine That Bird. Unfortunately for that pair, I believe that the best place for a single in the sequence is in the Belmont Stakes and it’s not Mine That Bird that I’m singling.

Charitable Man should get the lead all to himself as Miner’s Escape, the only other possible speed in the race, can’t stick with Charitable Man for the first half mile. With a lone lead, Charitable Man, a son of 1999 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, should have no problem cruising to a victory in the Belmont. He’s a good single for this sequence.

Bet Construction

[1/1A, 2, 4, 8] with [4,8] with [1,2,5,6] with 6

$2 Pick 4 Total Cost = $64