Belmont Stakes Day RECAP!
- Updated: June 22, 2020
Photo: Eclipse Sportswire
There was no question about it, the Super Screener Top Win and Top Board Hitter pick, Tiz the Law just dominated this field and won with plenty left in the tank like a 4/5 shot should. We projected that Tap It to Win and Fore Left would strike to the front and they worked through fast but not suicidal fractions; however, it was enough to take Tap It to Win out of contention as they turned for home.
Where the Super Screener really shined was the conviction that was centered on the 2nd place finisher and our only other “A” horse, Dr Post. He was clearly second best but as our Top Value play he provided the opportunity to go very narrow on wagering tickets. Here’s what the Super Screener said about this Pletcher-trained colt prior to the race:
#9 Dr. Post – TOP VALUE/PRESSER – Very dangerous Todd Pletcher player that is a “must use” in your wagers. He was put away for over 8 months post his decent debut on this track and came roaring back to crush 11 over-matched rivals coming from off the pace flashing a brilliant turn of foot to overcome the very slow pace and the advantaged stablemate, Nocturnal. The projection into the Unbridled stakes was for a regression off that huge lifetime top that followed the long layoff. He did indeed regress but won anyway in a very rough trip that had him pinned in between and behind horses. He showed a lot of fight to get through and win this. The 60-day break leading up to this race is the patented move by Pletcher. You can fully expect that this horse will make a giant move forward at a square price.
The Super Screener sniffed out the fact that Dr Post was sitting on a big race coming off that post-top regression, followed by Pletcher’s go-to winning move of the 60-day break. The fact that he went off at odds as high as 7-1 was even better.
Even our “B” horse Max Player made a good accounting of himself to finish 3rd at 14-1 as he showed those ultra strong recent works on the Belmont Park surface were indeed an indicator that he was coming into this race dead fit despite being away for nearly 5 months. He was a key to our Superfecta and Trifecta scores.
Speaking of wagering suggestions, all but one of our primary wagering strategies cashed including Exactas, Trifectas and Superfectas. That remaining wagering option should have cashed too as I had the 8,9 Exacta reversed. Hopefully you saw the clear pattern and figured it out.
In addition, one of our suggested P4 tickets hit for $427 thanks to the Super Screener Top Long Shot pick, Power Up Paynter, breaking up the string of chalk to close out the P4 coming home at odds of 15-1 boosting the value of the payout.
Other Belmont Day Highlights
Pennine Ridge
The Super Screener indicated that Decorated Invader was the most convicted single on the day…even more so than Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes. He went off at paltry odds of 3/5 but just demolished this field and is on to bigger and better things later this summer and into the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Proven Strategies was our 2nd choice and that one completed the Exacta.
Wonder Again
Sweet Melania, despite the 8-month layoff, dispensed of this field early getting that lone lead and then never looked back for the easy win. Chad Brown’s Selflessly broke very poorly and never recovered finishing last in the field.
Acorn
This was without question the performance of the day. If there was any doubt as to which filly was going to be the Kentucky Oaks favorite, those doubts were removed when Baffert’s Gamine just took it to this field carving out very fast fractions but then drawing away from the field by nearly 20 lengths to score the fastest G1 Acorn in history breaking the old record by over a full second! This is an absolute monster and she is just getting started…super star in the making.
Jaipur
The lone mare in the field and the Super Screener Top Board Hitter pick, Oleksandra, made it 3 for 3 going 6 furlongs on the Belmont Inner Turf course. She came from dead last and was still last after 4 furlongs but then passed all 7 rivals in a flash to just get past a very game Kanthaka who was coming off a 13-month layoff after being switched from the Jerry Hollendorfer barn to that of Graham Motion. We should have given that horse a bit more respect for the Exacta and not just the bottom of the Trifecta.
Belmont R11
Digital Age was the Super Screener Top Board Hitter pick and singling that one on both sides of the Exacta paid off as our “B” horse, Breaking the Rules got the job done. Both suggested Exacta wagers cashed but it could have been so much better as our 3rd choice and Top Value play Have At It was leading all the way through soft fractions but just couldn’t hold on to an Exacta spot at very generous odds of 17-1.
Belmont R12
The highlight here was the Super Screener Top Long Shot pick, Power up Paynter, coming from last to first at odds of 15-1 to break up the parade of chalk that defined the first 3 legs of the Pick 4. That win produced a winning P4 ticket worth $428. This is what the Super Screener had to say about Power Up Paynter prior to the race:
#10 Power Up Paynter is the Super Screener Top Long Shot pick as this Linda Rice-trained gelding is cycling up into a new lifetime top. Can be used on top but is an even better player “under” at those long odds of 15-1.
Next Saturday it is all about Belmont Park and Churchill Downs as both venues will feature 4 Graded Stakes with the headliner of them all being the G2 Stephen Foster. So, the summer racing just continues to heat up as we get closer to this author’s favorite Del Mar and Saratoga meets.
Until this coming weekend, Go Fast and Win!
Mike
