Ricky’s Rockets ?: Belmont Park Picks for June 12, 2020

I singled Spice Is Nice on Thursday’s card but she was unable to make her return to the track. Friday’s card is highlighted by the Commentator Stakes for New York-breds, but before that, there is a surefire single in the Early Pick 5 worth betting.

Best of luck!

Race 1: Maiden Special Weight for 2-year-olds going 5 furlongs on the outer turf

This was the most difficult race of the sequence by quite a large margin. #5 Zippy Baby is very intriguing. Dermot Magner has only saddled 12 total starters to date, but Joel Rosario wins at 25% for Magner, who has excelled with juveniles (24% winners) in the last 365 days. It might take a fantastic performance to beat this tough field, but at 8/1 on the morning line, he’s worth a shot. Other runners I’m using: #1A Mrs. Frankel, #2 Wink, #3 River Tiber, #7 Girl Dad, #8 Alda

Race 2: $25k Claiming for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the dirt

This has the makings of a one-horse event on paper. Mertkan Kantarmaci reclaimed #8 Bertranda after her dominant win at Aqueduct in February when she beat the next logical choice in this field, #4 Letmetakethiscall, by close to 7 lengths. If she can run back to that race last time out (or even close to it), then she should again win by open lengths.

Race 3: $25k Claiming for 3-year-olds and upward going 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt

#1 Coltandmississippi drops back down to this level after finishing fourth at the $32k claiming level. He won at this level over a sloppy track at the end of 2019 and should get the right pace setup for his style. #5 Long May You Run owns 17 wins and has finished in the money 39 of 64 starts. Based off of his effort at this level in his last start at Parx, the 9-year-old warhorse could be tough to beat. #7 Creative Style seems to be trending in the right direction after defeating similar company last time out at Aqueduct.

Race 4: $40k Claiming for 3-year-olds going 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the outer turf

#4 Arithmetic has won both career starts by a neck and gets Manny Franco aboard for the first time as he tries to keep his unbeaten streak intact. #5 Torres Del Paine should enjoy returning to the turf, having finished in the money in all three grass starts. He failed to fire on the Woodbine and Turfway Park synthetic surfaces but is a dangerous runner with the field’s best back class. #8 Rhythm Section was very rank early on and never felt comfortable between horses before finishing last in Arithmetic’s most recent win, but that said, he was within 4 lengths the entire race. A calmer performance should return him to the strong performances he showed in his first 2 starts.

Race 5: $30k Maiden Claiming for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the dirt

#2 Mani Pedi was entered in a turf race last week but scratched as a main track only runner. I didn’t find many of the others with experience in here enticing, so the first-time starter with Manny Franco aboard for the Chad Brown barn is a logical choice. The other first-timer who caught my attention is #5 Keep Dreamin. Steve Asmussen wins 18% at the maiden claiming level and should have this trainee keyed up. #13 Charlotte Webley will have her work cut out for her, having drawn the far outside, but she showed speed against maiden special weight competition and figures to do so against this weaker field.

THE TICKET

$.50 PICK 5 (Races 1-5) 1A,2,3,5,7,8 / 8 / 1,5,7 / 4,5,8 / 2,5,13 – $81