Ricky’s Rockets 🚀: Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park Picks for June 25, 2021

#RickysRockets🚀 were all over it at Arlington Park on Thursday afternoon, but it’s time to shift our focus to Churchill Downs this weekend. We are approaching Stephen Foster Day in Louisville, Kentucky where we will witness eight stakes races on the card. It’s going to be a great day of racing, and we will look to start off the weekend with some tickets on Friday afternoon!

Also included below: my 9-race preview of Belmont Park, 11-race preview of Churchill Downs, 9-race preview of Gulfstream Park!

Belmont Park June 25, 2021

Race 6: Maiden Special Weight for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the inner turf

#4 Get the Candy gets a much needed return to the grass after a horrible effort on the dirt. This is her first start of the year, but her morning work on June 13 indicates she’s going to be ready to go. #12 Empress of War may arguably be Chad Summers best runner to date at the meet. That’s not saying a whole lot given how poor his runners have looked as of late.

Race 7: $50,000 Claiming for 3-year-olds and upward going 1 1/16 miles (8 1/2 furlongs) on the dirt

#1 Striking Speed hasn’t run against Claiming competition in his career, but he’s done well against better. This drop in class makes him close to a no brainer on most tickets. #2 Fast Break finished second in this spot last time out, so he’s a no brainer like Striking Speed but for completely different reasons.

Race 8: $80,000 Allowance Optional Claiming for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles (8 1/2 furlongs) on the widener turf

#2 Amy C hasn’t run a race yet here in the United States, so we simply have to rely upon Chad Brown. The fact she’s 2/1 on the morning-line is a good sign she should be pretty tough to beat. #6 Miss Delicious faces winners for the first time, but she has a pace advantage the others don’t have. She will try and go gate-to-wire like she did earlier in the month.

Race 9: $35,000 Claiming for 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the inner turf

#3 Much Better ships in from Churchill Downs where he’s been running in the mornings. The last time we saw him on the track, he was running against Allowance runners at Remington Park last fall. #6 Ahead of Plan takes a drop in class from Allowance runners to Claiming runners. Manny Franco hasn’t been aboard since he ran last year at Aqueduct. 

THE TICKET

$3 Pick 4 (Races 6-9) 4,12 / 1,2 / 2,6 / 3,6 – $48

50¢ Pick 4 (Races 6-9) 4,8,11,12 / 1,2 / 1,2,4,6 / 3,6,8  – $48

My product is now on the Handicapping Products Page! To purchase, click one of the links below to go to the products page. My product includes full card plays, featuring race-by-race analysis, my top four picks for each race, and full-card multi-race wagers. Check it out below:

Ricky’s Rockets: Belmont Park

Ricky’s Rockets: Churchill Downs

Ricky’s Rockets: Gulfstream Park