Ricky’s Rockets 🚀: Belmont Park, Ellis Park and Gulfstream Park Picks for July 4, 2021

#RickysRockets🚀 is here to wish everyone a Happy July 4th! It’s a day that can be celebrated in many different ways, and one of those is by playing the ponies! After some strong stakes races on Saturday afternoon, Belmont Park has two more on Sunday afternoon. Del Mar and Saratoga may be on the horizon, but the action continues to be nonstop!

Also included below: my 10-race preview of Belmont Park, 8-race preview of Ellis Park, 11-race preview of Gulfstream Park!

Belmont Park July 4, 2021

Race 7: $16,000 Claiming for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 7 furlongs on the dirt

#4 Bustin Bay takes a big drop in class as she makes her debut for Rudy Rodriguez. After breaking her maiden at the $25,000 level this is where she always belonged. #9 Blue Paynt will try this level again after a massive disappointment last time out. With low-level Claiming runners like this one, it’s important we don’t get too caught up in extremely poor efforts.

Race 8: $100,000 Allowance Optional Claiming for 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the inner turf

#2 Pulsate hasn’t won a race since 2019, but it’s not because he hasn’t been good. He’s been right there in all of his races, and isn’t much worse than the morning-line favorite #4 Fiya. Fiya won every race he was in last year, but couldn’t keep that going in 2021. Hopefully it was just a rust issue in the toughest race of his career. This spot is much easier for him.

Race 9: Manila Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 mile (8 furlongs) over the widener turf

#2 Public Sector has been good in his three races that weren’t stakes races. With that said, he was only able to win by 3/4 lengths at the $80,000 AOC level on June 4. #4 Annex is looking for his first win since the Cutler Bay Stakes back in March. He did face graded-stakes competition twice, but he will have his hands full with this field as well.

Race 10: John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) for 4-year-olds and upward going 7 furlongs on the dirt

I’m not sure anyone is going to beat #1 Firenze Fire if he’s going to repeat the True North (G2) he ran a month ago. He’s now on a two-race win streak and is undefeated this year. I’m willing to give one horse a chance, and that’s #3 American Power. He should be sitting second, and with a dream ride by Joel Rosario, he may be able to pick off the big favorite down the stretch.

THE TICKET

$3 Pick 4 (Races 7-10) 4,9 / 2,4 / 2,4 / 1,3 – $48

50¢ Pick 4 (Races 7-10) 4,8,9 / 1,2,4,5 / 1,2,4 / 1  – $18

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: Ellis Park

Ricky’s Rockets: Gulfstream Park