The Cross Country Pick 5
Leg A Belmont Race 6
$40K MCL Statie F&M’s 3yo+ going 6f on the turf
As of this writing, this is a 16 horse field. As we found out in The Kentucky Derby, large fields are an anything-can-happen proposition. So, here is a betting calculator to figure out what your level of tolerance will be in any prop race - https://www.americasbestracing.net/gambling-calculator
I mention this because it’ll allow you to get an idea of whom you want to include or exclude based on your budget for this ticket. If you are serious about being a contender in this, sixteen horses will drive you crazy handicapping and you can determine how many choices you want to include.
I am including four:
2 – Mike’s Girl (3/1) drops for a tag after leading last out and fading in the stretch. Has the capacity to wire the field.
9 – Annette’s Humor (8/1) ran vs similar last out, led, flattened out. Four workouts since, freshened and ready.
1 – Daddysneverready (6/1) drops from an $80K msw which was her first out. Gets first Lasix, Maker/Jose Ortiz 19%.
6 – Freud’s Secret (12/1) drops in price, bullet work May 18th, Chris Engelhart hitting at 27%
Leg B Belmont Race 7
The $200K Critical Eye Stakes
This is going to be a race to watch. I have this pared down to four horses based on money earned per race.
2 – Midnight Disguise (8/1) $38,460 per outing
3 – Still There (7/5) $39,560 per outing
7 – Bonita Bianca (6/1) $37,857 per outing
4 – Kathryn The Wise (8/5) $37,893 per outing
As they round the far turn, look for Kathryn The Wise to be leading with 7 – Bonita Bianca and 8 – Frostie Annie pressing. Watch for Corey Lanerie moving Still There into contention and passing the rest. If you have the pp’s, you’ll see where five of her last six races had David Cohen on her back. Last year was not a good year for David as he returned from injury riding tentatively. Almost every race I watched him ride, he took his horse to the front and never rated them for the impending finish. You can tell from trainer Dane Kobiskies’ workout pattern of this mare, that he gradated her into a slower pace and the last two showing a brisker pace, with the last being a bullet.
Belmont 7 Picks:
4 – Kathryn The Wise
3 – Still There
5 – Indy’s Lady (tossing her in due to her killer stretch run at this distance three back)
Leg C Belmont Race 9
The $125k Mike Lee Stakes
NY Bred 3yo’s going 7f
This is going to have a ton of early pace and I like 10 – Stone Breaker (4/1), 8 – Bankit (10/1) and 6 – Blindwillie Mctell (7/2)
8 – Bankit has put up similar speed numbers as this group and has raced against stiffer competition.
6 – Blindwillie Mctell Linda Rice (21%) Jose Ortiz (26%), has the tactical speed to set and keep the pace.
10 – Stone Breaker – in his four races, this Empire Maker colt has outrun par each time. We have yet to see his best. I’m betting this one today.
Leg D Lone Star Park Race 8
The $100K Lone Star Park Turf Stakes
F&M’s 3yo+ going 1 mile
We’re going to see a hot pace in this with the 9 – Blessed Again (15/1), 3 – Texas Belle (15/1), 5 – Hay Flo (20/1) and 8 – Adore (2/1) all busting their humps trying to keep up with 4 – Sensitive (1/1). The two for me to watch are 2 – Santino (8/1) and 1 – Terra’s Angel (12/1). Santino is coming into form quickly and can use the lesser path to save ground and make a run in the end. Terra’s Angel is a turf specialist with a record of 5: 2-1-0 for $115K.
Leg E Belmont Race 10
The $200K Commentator Stakes
NYers 3yo+ going 1 mile
7 – Pat On The Back (5/2) This Awesome Again grandson epitomizes one of Pittsburg Phil’s Maxims – “Some horses will run good races over certain tracks, while in the same company under similar conditions on other tracks they will run very disappointingly. Study the likes and dislikes of a horse in regard to tracks.” 9 Belmont Starts, 4 wins, 3 places and 2 shows for $556K or $62K each time he races here. Trainer Jeremiah Englelhart on fire at Belmont, notching a 28% win ratio.
5 – Giant Expectations (3/1) SoCal denizen Peter Eurton wouldn’t have brought this guy to Long Island if he didn’t feel the horse is in shape and can win/be competitive. The only millionaire of this group has raced at Belmont twice and won both times. Blinkers for the first time and stud jockey Jose Ortiz (26%) make this a compulsory choice.
The $108 ticket: