Belmont Park has a Pick 6 carryover of $248,140 going into Wednesday's card.
Wednesday’s Pick 6 carryover at Belmont Park stands at $241,140 after it went unsolved over the weekend, which will spice up Wednesday’s nine-race card.
The highlight on the card is the $100,000 Lion Cavern for three-year-olds and upward who will go six furlongs on the main track.
The race drew a compact field of six, but it is not exactly race where horseplayers will be looking to single as it is tough to separate the top four contenders in the race.
The late running Hardened Wildcat is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the Chad Brown barn, but with the lack of much early zip, he may have his work cut out for him.
There are no free squares in the six race sequence that gets under with the fourth race at 2:38 ET. Here is a quick look at five of the races with a detailed look of the feature below:
Fourth race: Cay to Pomeroy is the 7-5 morning line favorite, taking on five foes in a state bred optional claimer. The gelding is coming off a runner up finish at the level and his biggest threat may be recent maiden winner Longfor the City.
Fifth: Eight state breds looking to pick up their diploma will go 6 ½ furlongs on the main track. The big favorite is going to be Crackerjack Jones, who ran second in his debut for the Mike Hushion barn. He looks like a standout but do we really want to single in a New York bred maiden race?
Sixth: Another state bred race, this one on turf for second level optional claimers. The Jamie Ness trained Schillerette is the 3-1 morning line favorite. The daughter of Grade 1 turf winner Artie Schiller rallied to finish a good second in her last outing in her first trip on turf since last fall.
Seventh: A field of 10 fillies and mares tagged for $15,000 head to the gate to go 6 ½ furlongs on dirt. Jolienne (4-1) is three for five over the main track while Chance Encounter, the 3-1 morning line favorite is coming off a neck loss in the sop for a $20,000 tag.
Ninth: A tough way to finish off the sequence with a field of ten maidens going six furlongs on turf for a $16,000 tag. Antone Suavey drops out of the state bred maiden special ranks and is the 3-1 morning line favorite, but the colt was beaten 10 ¾ lengths at 21-1 last out and is light in the pedigree department for turf.
Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Wednesday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 8 The Lion Cavern (Post time 4:45 ET)
3 Strapping Groom 5-1
6 Hardened Wildcat 2-1
2 Big Business 5-2
4 Smash 4-1
Strapping Groom is one of two in here sent out by the David Jacobson barn and among the top three is likely going to offer the best value for the top spot. The six-year-old missed by just a head last out in a game effort against $35,000 non-winners of three or a race since Jan. 1. The outing was his first go off an 11 month layoff and the new barn is 26% winners first off the claim and is coming off a big weekend where the barn won five races. This guy is a two-time winner over the main track here and while he is stepping into a tougher spot here he is the main speed as the rest of the field likes to sit off the pace. If he is able to shake loose early he is a danger to take this group gate to wire.
Hardened Wildcat made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot last out in the Maryland Sprint Handicap (G3) at Pimlico on the Preakness Day card. Two back he beat Alw-3 optional claimers off a 4 ½ month break. He won three of seven starts last year and mixed it up in graded stakes, running second in the Bay Shore (G2) behind Trinniberg. He showed two back in his career top effort he can be closer to the pace than he was last out when he was a dozen lengths back. Castellano will need to keep this guy closer here.
Big Business is the second runner in here sent out by Jacobson. The gelding is coming off back to back wins and has landed in the exacta in 11 straight starts. He is perfect in four starts over the Belmont Park main track. The runner he beat last out was N.F.’s Destiny, who came back with a 97 Beyer in a runner up finish against Alw-2 optional claimers last Saturday, beaten a neck. He looks as if he is sitting on a good one here in his third start of his current form cycle, but his price may end up on the light side.
Wagering:
WIN: #3 to win at 7-2 or better.
EXACTA: 3,6 / 2,3,6
TRIFECTA: no play
Michael Dempsey’s Saratoga Special $129.95
Michael’s Saratoga Report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations. Mike has been handicapping the New York Racing circuit on a daily basis for nearly three decades.
Get the entire 40-day Saratoga meeting (July 19 to Sept. 2) as well as the remainder of the Belmont Park meeting for one low price! Just $129.95 for the rest of the Belmont Park meeting and the entire Spa meeting!
Wager with US Racebook
US Racebook is the newest racebook to hit the U.S. and is backed by one of the industry’s biggest horse racing brands in TVG. US Racebook will offer all the features and perks that horseplayers have come to expect, plus some new twists and bonus perks.
Among the perks for US Racebook members include free online horse betting contests, special promotions, free streaming video, deposit bonuses and horse racing news and racetrack picks from Michael Dempsey, one of America’s most trusted professional handicappers.
US Racebook will have a taste of sports odds and information, along with some free contests around March Madness, Super Bowl, NFL season and college bowl seasons.
