**Belmont Stakes Day: Saturday, 6/7 - Pete's Picks**
- Little Pete
- Jun 7
- 6 min read
The day is upon us and we have Belmont at Saratoga for back-to-back years, which means we will have a back-to-back appearance to see live racing at The Spa in June. The forecast is favoring for a fast track for the later part of the card and it should make for a great day of handicapping! We are going to spread our plays out a bit and attack a spot stakes double (Races 7 & 8), a spot stakes pick 3 (Races 9-11), and a closing pick 3 (Races 12-14). Big Pete will be throwing in a couple of his "Plays of the Day" and we will pick our winner for the Belmont Stakes (Race 13). As always, we appreciate you taking the time to look at this write-up and GOOD LUCK.
Little Pete's $5.00 (Stakes) Double:
R7: 2, 4, 5, 6
R8: 4
Cost: $20.00
Little Pete's $1.00 Pick 3:
R9: 3, 4, 8, 9
R10: 7, 9, 10
R11: 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11
Cost: $72.00
*Blue highlighted numbers are my top plays in each leg
Big Pete's $1.00 Late Pick 3 (Belmont Stakes):
R12: 2, 6, 8, 9
R13: 2, 3, 6, 7
R14: 14, 15
Cost: $ 32.00
Belmont Stakes Picks (Race 13):
Little Pete's Play:
This should be an exciting race to close out the Triple Crown, and seeing what (7) Journalism did at the Preakness is going to make him the wise play here. (2) Sovereignty is fresh coming into this after beating the likely favorite on the first Saturday in May. With that said, I am going to play this race to favor the early speed. I was on (3) Rodriguez heading into the Kentucky Derby before he was scratched, and I am still riding with him. Mike Smith should hit the lead early and challenge the closers to get him late. I also like the hot-handed Johnny V with the unproven (5) Crudo here to take a major step up facing his best yet. The graveyard of champions!
$7.00 WPS 3 Cost: $21.00
$4.00 Ex 3 w/ ALL Cost: $28.00
$2.00 Ex 5 w/ All Cost: $14.00
Big Pete's Play:
(6) BAEZA. Both his brothers have won a Triple Crown race as Mom, PUCA, will try for the hat trick. Mage (Derby) and Dornoch (Belmont) will be rooting on their little brother to work out a better trip than he got in the Derby. He has positional speed to stay close and also a closing kick. I'm all in as the moisture only helps this guy.
$10.00 WPS 6 Cost: $30.00
$5.00 Ex 6 w/ 2,3,7 Cost" $15.00
Reader's Play:
Who will win the Belmont Stakes?
(1) Hill Road
(2) Sovereignty
(3) Rodriguez
(4) Uncaged
Big Pete's "Play of the Day":
Race 5:
Alvarado chooses (2) SILVER SUGAR over the Mott trainee, so he likes his chances with this gelding. So do I. He's out of a Wildcat Heir, so slop is in his blood. With his speed and the wet track, this guy should be hard to catch when they turn for home. Mott found a nice substitute with Prat on Remarkably, so I'll use that one with the hot Weaver runner Aggelos The Great.
$ 7.00 WPS 2 Cost $ 21.00
$ 7.00 Ex 2 w/ 8, 9 Cost $ 14.00
Little Pete's (Stakes) Double:
Race 7:
(4) Nakatomi is going to be my top play in here with Irad aboard and I am tempted to ride with him solo, but I won't. I will inclde (2) Crazy Mason to sit chilly on the rail early and find running room late. (5) Book 'Em Danno to be sent to the lead under Paco and be a tough catch late. Lastly, include the morning line favorite and most consistent runner in here with (6) Mullikin.
$7.00 WPS 4 Cost: $21.00
$3.00 Ex 4 w/ 2,5,6 Cost: $9.00
$2.00 Ex 2,5,6 w/ 2,4,5,6 Cost: $18.00
Race 8:
The challenge with this race is that I would like to try and beat the two favorites in here, (1) Fierceness & (2) White Abarrio, but with the Met Mile only having five horses entered it really turns into an ALL bet; I know, no fun. The horse that I am going to lean into this race is (4) Just a Touch. This horse has shown nothing but improvement with the extended break after an impressive 3 year old campaign and looks poised to run a huge one against some strong winners in here.
$10.00 WPS 4 Cost: $30.00
Little Pete's Spot (Stakes) Pick 3:
Race 9:
I will be playing against the morning line favorite, (2) Think Big, and going with (8) Alogon as my top play. This outside draw will allow Jose Ortiz to break outside and find a nice stalking position and this horse shows great late speed every time they hit the track. I will be including (4) My Boy Prince and (9) AG Bullet in here as I expect both of them to be battling for the lead early and why not pick some hustlers? My last inclusion will be a well ridden (3) Our Shot who should be able to hit the rail early and fan out wide with one of the best in the business aboard, Luis Saez.
$3.00 WPS 8 Cost: $9.00
$3.00 Ex 8 w/ 3,4,9 Cost: $12.00
$1.00 Ex 3,4,9 w/ 3,4,8,9 Cost: $9.00
Race 10:
(1) Zulu Kingdom being scratched out of here and it being only seven horses now throws this race into a crap shoot. Todd Pletcher has almost half of the field and I think (9) Noble Confessor is his top contender. I will rely on (7) Mi Bago to find the lead early and force the others to make up ground late. My last play will be (10) Thirteen Colonies who just broke their maiden last time out in Keeneland and making their 3rd race on a new track with only 4 starts to date. I think this horse takes a big step up on this wet surface.
$3.00 Ex Box 7,9,10 Cost: $18.00
Race 11:
This is a wide open race and my best bet, (7) Colloquial, scratched out of here. I first have to include both Brad Cox entries in here with (4) Patch Adams and (8) Gunmetal. They both will be forwardly placed with two strong closing jockeys. (10) Chancer McPatrick is also a horse that needs to be included with the foes they have already faced and shown up well against. This horse has shown plenty of class and cannot be left off the ticket. (5) Citizen Bull should get a fast track come post time and Mike Smith knows how to bully others into getting what trip he wants.I will throw two bombs on here as well with (1) Big Truzz and (11) Gate to Wire as they both should be coming strong down the stretch and this race could be blown up late with some early speed fractions. I am looking forward to watching this one. The amount of jockey hopping in this race is interesting to follow as well.
$5.00 WPS 7 Cost: $15.00
$3.00 Ex 7 w/ 1,4,5,8,10,11 Cost: $18.00
$2.00 Ex 4,8 w/ 1,4,5,7,8,10,11 Cost: $24.00
Big Pete's Late Pick 3:
Race 12:
This one stays on the grass for now, but it is pouring this morning. (2) INTEGRATION won with Prat aboard last year when they hooked up, and they look strong again today. He seems to handle the turf with some give in it and figures to get the yielding course today. He turns the table on (6) SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS who is your deserving favorite. He always gives you a run for your money. Both (8) CORRUPTION and (9) FAR BRIDGE are coming in at the top of their game right now, and with this soft turf, anything can happen.
$ 7.00 WPS 2 Cost $ 21.00
$ 3.00 Ex 2, 8 w/ 2, 6, 8, 9 Cost $ 18.00
Race 13:
This Belmont looks wide open to me with several pointing to this and the moisture in the track. (7) JOURNALISM is the deserving favorite after that Preakness trip and is a must-use for me. (2) SOVEREIGNTY got a perfect trip in the Derby and will need it again today. I'm not sure you want to be too far out of it today, so his tactics may change a little, and that could hurt him. (3) RODRIGUEZ has speed and will use it. It depends on Crudo IMO if he can win this on the front end. If Crudo applies pressure early, they both could be in for it. That leans me to (6) BAEZA. Both his brothers have won a Triple Crown race as Mom, PUCA, will try for the hat trick. Mage (Derby) and Dornoch (Belmont) will be rooting on their little brother to work out a better trip than he got in the Derby. He has positional speed to stay close and also a closing kick. I'm all in as the moisture only helps this guy.
$ 20.00 WPS 6 Cost $ 60.00
$ 5.00 Ex Box 2, 6, 7 Cost $ 30.00
Race 14:
We come off the turf in this one and were down to four. We could use all four but I'll only focus on 2 of the three MTO's and toss the favorite. (14) TOP GUN ROCKET has proven in the mud already and his speed figure top them. (15) STREET SWAGG is a Street Sense and we all know wat he did in the slop at Churchill.
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