Ricky’s Rockets ?: Belmont Park Picks for June 25, 2020

Ricky’s Rockets had a great weekend, with an investment of $165 returning $703 over Saturday and Sunday! I’ve found my groove and will try to hit my third consecutive Pick 5 on Thursday’s card, which is highlighted by the Easy Goer Stakes later in the day.

Best of luck!

Race 1: $40k Maiden Claiming for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the inner turf

#1 Dream Chasing makes her 2020 debut while dropping to run with a tag for the first time and gets Belmont Stakes (G1)-winning jockey Manny Franco aboard. She is also running with Lasix for the first time, so expect improvement. #4 Love Me Tomorrow has superb gate speed and runs protected because she hasn’t competed since March 14. Jockey Dylan Davis is very good on the front end and rode her to finish second (beaten a neck) in her last start. #9 Plink Freud returns for the first time since November 11 after finishing sixth last time out at the same level. She was less than 2 lengths behind the winner despite stumbling at the start, so with a cleaner beginning, she should improve. #11 Graetz falls to the claiming level for trainer Jim Bond, who’s winning at 22% in the last 365 days with horses taking a similar drop. Bond and jockey Luis Saez have won 7 of their past 26 shared mounts.

Race 2: $16k Claiming for 3-year-olds and upward going 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt

#5 Mental Model takes a big class drop after facing much better throughout his career. Bug jockey Luis Cardenas tends to be aggressive out of the gate and should utilize the speed that this gelding flashed when he broke his maiden last May. #7 Inside Info vastly improved last time out while running in the claiming ranks for the first time, breaking his maiden for a $30k tag against fellow New York-breds. That was also his debut for trainer Brad Cox, who has won 6 of his first 18 starters at the current meet.

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

#5 Street Dance didn’t do any running in his debut, but Christophe Clement adds blinkers here, a move with which he’s won 29%. Clement also wins 26% at the maiden claiming level, and it’s good to see Joel Rosario ride him back. #10 Mariner Qui finished seventh last time out after Jose Ortiz had him toward the front early. It’s encouraging to see Ortiz pick up the ride again for Charlie Baker, who wins 27% with runners in their second starts after decent layoffs.

Race 4: $40k Claiming for 3-year-olds and upward going 1 1/16 miles (8 1/2 furlongs) on the outer turf

#3 Abiding Star is my top choice as he makes his 2020 debut. He won a turf stakes and finished second in two others before tailing off as the year wore on. If he can rediscover that form, then he is the horse to beat. Other runners I am using are #2 Musical Heart, #4 Noble Thought, #6 Willing to Speed, and #8 Siding Spring.

Race 5: $40k Maiden Claiming for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the inner turf

#1 Saratoga Love drops in for a tag for the first time after nearly getting the job done in her career debut over the local outer turf. Trainer Christophe Clement and jockey Joel Rosario have won 22% from 129 shared mounts together since 2019. #7 Quantitativbreezin makes her career debut after a string of decent morning works. Her sire, Central Banker, won 2 of his 3 turf starts, including the 2013 Quick Call Stakes while sprinting at Saratoga. #11 Sandra’s Mine nearly got the job done last time out while going 6 furlongs over the Aqueduct turf at this same level. She has been off since that race on November 11, but trainer Tom Bush wins 14% with runners returning from layoffs of at least 180 days.

THE TICKET

$.50 PICK 5 (Races 1-5) 1,4,9,11 / 5,7 / 5,10 / 2,3,4,6,8 / 1,7,11 – $120