Mr. Ed’s Belmont Stakes Day Picks for Saturday, June 7:
A BIG, PERFECT DAY OF RACING AT SARATOGA! — The high-quality 14-race card with purse money totaling more than $6.6 million. With the exception of the soggy forecast, Mr. Ed is looking forward to the best day of racing between now and the Travers Stakes at the Spa in late August. Today’s action goes to the post at 10:45 a.m. ET/7:45 a.m. PT with the Race 13 G1 Belmont Stakes scheduled for eight hours later. Here are Mr. Ed’s picks.
Mr. Ed’s Saratoga Selections for Saturday, June 7
Race 5 (1:15 p.m. ET/10:15 a.m. PT) — $110K ALLOWANCE CLAIMING for 3YOs & up going 7 furlongs
Mr. Ed’s first pick of the day is #10 ROOKIE CARD (6-1 morning line) for favorite trainer Danny Gargan, who’s no rookie to racing. Pick has race over track (finished second in debut), retains Luis Saez and posted excellent work last week. Collect this card.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $10 to Win. ($10)
RACE 6 (1:55 p.m. ET/10:55 a.m. PT) — $300K G2 WONDER AGAIN for 3YO fillies going 1 1/16-mile on turf
I’ll take a shot with #6 NITROGEN (1-1 morning line) to gas field. Mark Casse sends out an improving gal who has a win over soft turf and nearly $1M in earnings. Regular rider Jose Ortiz is in the saddle.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $20 to Win. ($20)
Race 7 (2:37 p.m. ET/11:37 a.m. PT) — $400K G3 TRUE NORTH for 4YOs & up going 6½ furlongs
Mr. Ed’s betting #5 BOOK‘EM DANNO (5-2 morning line) for low-profile trainer Derek Ryan and NY-area veteran rider Paco Lopez. Pick has a win over track and can handle expected sloppy conditions. Consider him booked.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $10 to Win. ($10)
Race 8 (3:17 p.m. ET/12:17 p.m. PT) — $1M G3 METROPOLITAN HANDICAP for 3YOs & up
My PLAY OF THE DAY is #1 FIERCENESS (1-1 morning line), a super speedy colt for powerful connections of Repole (owner), Pletcher (trainer) and Velazquez (jockey). He’s banked nearly $5 million in earnings while winning six of ten races vs. first-class company. I’m a believer.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $40 to Win. ($40)
Race 9 (4:08 p.m. ET/1:08 p.m. PT) — $600K G1 JAIPUR STAKES for 3YOs & up going 5½ furlongs
Mr. Ed’s three for the money: #2 THINK BIG (6-5 morning line) for superior trainer Michael Stidman, who retains young rider Ben Curtis; #5 ARZAK (8-1) with Irad Ortiz, Jr., in saddle, and #9 AG BULLET (7-2) who gets rider upgrade to Flavien Prat. I’m expecting a big payoff.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $5 Exacta Box, ($30)
Race 10 (4:47 p.m. ET/1:47 p.m. PT) — $300K G3 PENNINE RIDGE STAKES for 3YOs on turf
Mr. Ed’s betting on #4 FLYING MOHAWK (9-2 morning line), who let me down in The Derby, appears ready to get back on firm (or soft) turf. Sharp young trainer Whit Beckman brings legendary Frankie Dettori back to ride. Fly away, Indian!
SARATOGA SELECTION: $10 to Win. ($10)
Race 10 — Mr. Ed likes a SPECIAL $.50 ALL-STAKES PICK 4*
R10: 1,4
R11: 2,4,5,9,10
R12: 2,5,6,7
R13: 2,6,7 ($75)
*only for those with deep pockets. Not for the faint of heart.
Race 12 (6:09 p.m. ET/3:09 p.m. PT) — G1 $1M MET MILE for 4YOs & up
Mr. Ed likes three for the money #2 INTEGRATION (9-2 morning line) with top jock Flavien Prat for Shug McGaughy; #5 DETERMINISTIC (9-2) for Miguel Clement with NY jockey Kendrick Carmouche, and #6 SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS (5-2) for Chad Brown, who retains Manny Franco following a win at Churchill Downs.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $5 Exacta Box. ($30)
Race 13 (7:04 p.m. ET/4:04 p.m. PT) — $2 M G1 BELMONT STAKES for 3YOs going 1¼-miles
After literally days of study, consultation, even prayer, I believe only three runners have a legitimate chance of winning: Kentucky Derby champ #2 SOVEREIGNTY (2-1 morning line) for Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado; #7 JOURNALISM (8-5), the favorite, coming right back from his thrilling Preakness victory, and the wiseguy choice for Michael McCarthy and Umberto Rispoli. While never considered a wiseguy himself (except perhaps by members of the local ladies book & garden club), Mr. Ed’s several horseplaying associates — found on the backstretch, in the racebook, from the newsroom to the clubhouse — all qualify as legitimate wiseguys. This diverse group of touts rarely agrees on anything, let alone picking the winner of the Belmont Stakes. This year, they are unanimous: #6 BAEZA (4-1).
BELMONT STAKES AT SARATOGA SELECTION: $50 to Win. ($50)
TOTAL WAGERS: $275 (includes $75 Pick 4)
