Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mike Beer handicaps the Friday, May 8 racing card at Belmont at the Big A, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 4.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Time For You (Race 4)
Fourth Race
1. Time for You
2. Only for Now
3. Jet Mist
TIME FOR YOU raced greenly, before gaining some late ground in her debut under similar conditions here as a 2yo; only other turf start came around two turns at Gulfstream, where she wound up racing close to a competitive pace, and was in the mix along the inside late before the closers took over; tried turning all the way back to five furlongs on synthetic last time; back to turf over a distance that might suit her better. ONLY FOR NOW is by the versatile sire Not This Time (16% with first-time starters and with turf sprinters); the dam was a Grade 3 winner over this distance on the grass, while the second dam was Grade 3-placed on turf, and a sister to a Grade 3 turf winner; plenty of pedigree for an excellent first-out barn. JET MIST made her debut on dirt last month, where she chased a fast winner on the lead before tiring badly; half-brother Panther Island is a stakes winner sprinting on grass with a 95 Beyer top; eligible to improve quickly with the surface switch.
Here are Mike’s thoughts on the other seven races on Friday’s Belmont at the Big A card.
First Race
1. Limes Don’t Lie
2. Munnings Express
3. Artemis Sound
LIMES DON’T LIE is 2 for 4 to start her career, though she has run well all four times, particularly that last appearance at Saratoga when overcoming a troubled start with a big finish going this distance; she fired off a similar layoff on this track last spring. MUNNINGS EXPRESS is the one to beat as she looks for three in a row following consecutive Beyer tops for Linda Rice; tactical 4yo tries seven furlongs for the first time. ARTEMIS SOUND’s form improved when switched to dirt last year, though she endured a long layoff after finishing far behind LIMES DON’T LIE at Saratoga; looked good winning her first start back on the lead, but she is facing tougher this time.
Second Race
1. Grace and Grit
2. Mezcalifornia
3. Princess Ny
GRACE AND GRIT was up against a speed-favoring track when turned back to sprint in February; she faced only three others when easily winning her first start for this trainer a month later; ran an underrated race last time when held up last early as the favored winner got to control the pace, before making a strong move to contention in the stretch; blinkers on for this. MEZCALIFORNIA won her NY debut while on a big class drop, then was up in class when facing the streaking Bam’s Bliss Kiss in her next start; dropped back down to win again last time, with a 78 Beyer that tops this field; four-time winner goes off the claim for excellent connections. PRINCESS NY earned a new top figure winning off the claim in January; topped that number while only second-best to winning stablemate Sheer Will here 12 days ago; earned her top figures going shorter, but she broke her maiden going this distance, then won a two-life claimer around two turns at Keeneland for her original connections, so stretching back out is not an issue.
Access Full Past Performances and Expert Analysis for Today’s Races at DRF.com
Third Race
1. Screaming Uncle
2. Emerald Forest
3. Dot’s Dollar
SCREAMING UNCLE earned an 84 Beyer while posting his most recent victory last June while in for twice this price; got involved on a fast pace in a race that was won by a closer in his first start off the claim two back; chased and stayed on evenly when finishing behind a pair of these same rivals last time; breaks from a nice outside post in his third start off the layoff. EMERALD FOREST’s last three wins have come at Finger Lakes, though he has been competitive in several starts on this circuit over the past six months; wound up getting filtered out to last in the early stages and could never get involved when back on short rest last time; better than that, and he should be a fair price. DOT’S DOLLAR’s form has been spotty recently, though he showed that he can still run when scoring with an 84 Beyer after getting loose on the lead two starts back; still has his speed.
Fifth Race
1. Nightscope
2. Lady Wisdom
3. Moonlight Gal
NIGHTSCOPE gained valuable experience while only second-best as the lone firster in the field in her sloppy debut; returned two weeks later to wire a field going this distance with an improved figure; still has forward to go and is logically spotted by Rice to make her first start against other winners. LADY WISDOM’s form was trending the right way leading up to her maiden win over this track and trip in January, for which she earned a 64 Beyer; she has been kept in with allowance horses since to no avail; takes a needed class drop that might make her tough in here. MOONLIGHT GAL was claimed out of her maiden win when switched back to dirt last February, then spent almost a full year on the sidelines; used the waiver for $50k in her first two starts back, then dropped and finished last for $30k last month; threat if she can rebound as she drops down in claiming price again.
Sixth Race
1. Peak of Chic
2. Short Shift
3. A Maize Zing Dotie
PEAK OF CHIC has shipped to NY and run her race several times in the past, most recently when just missing for $35k last April; 13-time winner has an adaptable running style, and her trainer can have them ready to go off the bench: 180+ day layoff, dirt, sprint: 9 for his last 33, 27%, $2.95 ROI. SHORT SHIFT owns dangerous speed as she drops in class for her second start off the layoff, after racing to the lead and fading in a tough $35k claimer last month; scored an easy, front-running win for this trainer early last year, before getting claimed and moving up in class for her next four starts; looks tough on the drop. A MAIZE ZING DOTIE faced a sharp, front-running winner over a wet track in her return from the long layoff; chased SHORT SHIFT and weakened in that above-average $35k claimer last time; likely has to do the hard work on the chase once again, but she is third off the bench for this while dropping again, and she has back races that make her competitive here.
Seventh Race
1. Sacred Goddess
2. Disco Star
3. One Last Knock
SACRED GODDESS made a positive impression winning her career debut after getting bet last summer at Saratoga, after which she ran in four straight stakes races over four different distances, to no avail; thought she ran fine in the two turf sprints after the maiden win, with no real chance to win either; starts back in her available condition with Lasix on. DISCO STAR scored a convincing maiden win over course and distance as a 2yo, then nearly won an open stakes race when next on AQU turf sprinting last May; tried stretching out after that to no avail, and she failed to fire her best shot when turned back again at the end of the year; dangerous off the layoff with Lasix on for the first time. ONE LAST KNOCK got to the lead and never looked back in the maiden win at Saratoga going a bit shorter than this; has settled for second in all four starts since, while running well each time; second off the layoff for this, while most of her main rivals are just getting started. BOSTON’S PHINEST got in a bit tight in the stretch of her turf debut while still in the mix, though it is unclear how much it cost her; had more obvious trouble in her most recent start; wildcard starting back sprinting.
Eighth Race
1. Miss Apples
2. Amazing Gracer
3. Soaring Spirit
MISS APPLES is a $200k yearling by excellent turf influence Liam’s Map; the dam handled all three surfaces while going 7 for 17 in her career (two of those wins routing on turf); perfect post for the debut, and Prat takes the mount. AMAZING GRACER had a less-than-perfect trip in her debut going longer last June, then just missed in her next start at Saratoga; got wired in her final start as a 3yo; threat off the layoff with a top turf rider taking over. SOARING SPIRIT is a half to a pair of stakes winners sprinting on dirt, but the dam posted the lone win of her career on the grass, and she is a sister to Grade 2 turf winner Spice Island; Clement 8 for 19 so far with MSW first-time starters routing on turf (42%, $3.78 ROI)
Daily Racing Form is the most trusted source for horse racing news and information. Get an edge when you play the races with DRF.com.
Get DRF’s Complete Derby Betting Package with PPs, Clocker Reports & Expert Picks
Access Full Past Performances and Expert Analysis for Today’s Races at DRF.com
Get more Daily Racing Form horse racing picks on a daily basis on our VSiN Horse Racing page.
