Longshots ruled the day at Belmont Park last Friday, leading to a lucrative Late Pick 4 payout. The winners of the last four races on the card paid $16.60, $28.80, $16.20 and $13.40, producing a $5,339 payout on the 50-cent wager. Will history repeat itself this Friday, June 24? Here’s a look at the action:
BEL 6th race (3:34 EST) -- FINEST WORK saved ground, split rivals in mid-stretch and won by a neck at 7F for her new connections. She can move forward in her second start as a 4-year-old and win again. MISS ALACRITY, a 5F turf stakes winner last year, will try to carry her speed this distance for the first time in her career. In her last start, she dueled through rapid fractions with next-out winner Parlance (85 Beyer) in a 6F main-track stakes race at Woodbine dominated by closers. SOCIAL WHIRL lunged at the break, advanced 4-wide into contention, then raced erratically in the stretch in her seasonal debut. She finished second behind stakes winner and Grade III-placed Keep Waiting in her prior start on the lawn last December.
BEL 7th race (4:08 EST) -- DIRECT ORDER back-pedaled on a muddy track in a dull performance at this distance last out, but he rallied to win going away in his prior two starts at this level and should sit an ideal trip in a speed-laden field if he returns to his best form. IT’S ALL RELEVANT gets class relief, is the speed of the speed and posted a 91-plus Beyer speed figure in nine of his 15 wins. He will be a strong favorite in the shortest field of the Pick 4 sequence. AUBURN HILLS has never shown a passing gear, but he enters a 24-percent claim barn and met the likes of Crypto Cash (24/5-6-1, $244k), Two Thirty Five (11-46, $539k) and Chirs and Dave (17-79, $848k) recently.
BEL 8th race (4:40 EST) -- TIMBUKTU exchanged bumps at the break and at the top of the stretch but finished willingly for third off a nine-month layoff. BARLEEWON trailed to the top of the stretch and never threatened last out, but he was in contention in his race prior before a pair of sharp, next-out winners passed by and he enters a 34-percent claim barn. RALLY SQUIRREL lacked room on the final turn while LORD FLINTSHIRE was launching a wide rally. He can turn the tables on that rival and holds a tactical edge in this field. AGENT CREED rallied from last and encountered stretch traffic when last seen in 2021. He should appreciate the added ground but will need some pace help to win.
BEL 9th race (5:12 EST) -- Many ways to go in this crowded Maiden Special Weight long sprint on the turf, so go deep on the Pick 4 ticket. GATHER THE FACTS had ‘good kick’ when second in her debut but draws post 12. FROSTED OATS ran second at 6F off an eight-month layoff. AMBLE couldn’t recover from a ‘reluctant’ start in a grass route that produced Grade III winner Walkathon and recent allowance runner-up Lay The Groundwork. JANE MAST shows a solid work tab at Keeneland for a 27-percent turf sprint barn. And the list goes on ….
Suggested 50-cent Ticket
BEL 6th Race: 1, 9
BEL 7th Race: 3, 4, 8
BEL 8th Race: 6, 7, 8
BEL 9th Race: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12
COST: $72
.svg){kind=logo}
