BELMONT – 5/7/22
RACE 1: 4-1-3
#1 TWO THIRTY FIVE did everything but win last time out making a big move to reach the front before getting outfinished late. He goes 3rd off a claim now by Charlie Baker and figures to be in position at the quarter pole. You’ll get a square price on him at the morning line odds of 4-1
RACE 2: 6-3-5-1
#6 MUCHO SUNSHINE can control this race on paper and is going to be the 2nd choice at best. He chased the pace before weakening last time out and there’s an argument to be made the rail was the place to be that afternoon. He has handled wet tracks in the past and meets a particularly weak field today.
RACE 3: 5-1-3
After an auspicious North American debut, #5 VIRGINIA JOY was put in stakes company and failed to get things done. Now that she is back on her game, she looks like an eventual Grade I horse for Chad Brown. This should be nothing more than a tune-up given the make-up of this field and boggy going should hardly do her harm.
RACE 4: 8-9-4-2
The effort in the Beaumont from #8 GINA ROMANTICA was disappointing to say the least, but she spent much of that race on a bad rail. She should rebound here with a bit more ground and looks like a heavy favorite. Her pace stalking style should make her a good fit given the expected pace scenario here.
RACE 5: 7-6-1-3
#7 UNBRIDLED BOMBER is a tremendously interesting cutback candidate after making a premature move and flattening out last time. The blinkers are coming off, which should help him relax more, and there is real speed in here to set up his late bid. He was also squarely against the grain of the surface two back against tougher and looms a longshot player here.
RACE 6: 7-5-11-13
#7 EFFICIENCY will be extremely tough to beat after this race is moved to the main track. He was beaten a nose as a heavy favorite last time out but spend the majority of that race on the inside, which was not the place to be. He should improve with experience as well and is a safe Pick 6 single this afternoon.
RACE 7: 4-6-2-5
#4 DEMANDSRESPECT landed in two tough fields as a 2YO and now makes her 3YO debut. She will get Lasix for the first time and there’s no Kathleen O or Lemieux in here, both of whom went on to be stakes winners. This filly has trained forwardly and looks like the best alternative to her stablemate, #6 RUN UP THE SCORE, who is the other player for top honors.
RACE 8: 3-6-5-7
#3 CITY MAN was victorious last time out at the Big A with a perfect trip from just off the pace. He should find himself in a comfortable spot early once again with a couple of lesser pace types set to spar in the opening stages. That’ll give this 5YO the chance to pounce late, and he has regularly run well on wet turf courses in the past.
RACE 9: 12-11-7-3
All aboard the ‘Noda express’ as racing’s most jubilant owners/trainers amass wins in bunches at the current stand and #12 TO A T will bid for her 2nd in 9 days. She was just off the pace en route to a score on opening day of this meet and should have a similar trip with a strong pace to target late this afternoon. You’ll get a decent price too, even as well backed as their horses are.
RACE 10: 4-2-1
Given the way that Scalding ran in his next race, there’s an argument the Beyer figure for #4 CODY’S WISH in the Challenger at Tampa should be higher. This son of Curlin was a game 2nd after a slow break and figures to be tough to handle going back to a one-turn mile. He was successful at this trip at Churchill Downs 3 times last fall and there’ll be pace for him to run at late today.
RACE 11: 9-11-12-6
The dirt races from #9 DARN THAT SONG are simply much too good for these and she looms a very likely winner. Back on the main track after a failed turf try, she is also in for a tag for the first time. That points to her being a good fit class-wise as well.
