Our ‘cappers’ Belmont Stakes day picks

Saturday’s Belmont Stakes day card at Belmont Park is stuffed with Grade 1 races, and we asked some of our handicappers, analysts and writers for their Belmont Stakes day picks.

The crew includes Derby Bill Watson, Nick Hahn, Ted Black, Joe Parisi, Joseph Aiello, and Jennifer Kelly. Here’s what they came up with:

JAIPUR STAKES

A big field of 13 is slated to contest the grassy, six-furlong Jaipur Stakes. Trainer Wesley Ward will send out the morning line favorite in the form of Arrest Me Red, winner of the G2 Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs last time out. Arrest Me Red already owns a graded win on the Belmont lawn, having scored in the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint last October.

A horse a little bit familiar to Marylanders is the eight-year-old Graham Motion trainee True Valour, who scored last out in the King T. Leatherbury at Laurel Park.

Derby Bill WatsonJoe ParisiTed BlackJoseph AielloJennifer KellyNick Hahn
Jaipur13. Gregorian Chant (GB)8. Scuttlebuzz (NY)13. Gregorian Chant (GB)5. Arrest Me Red (KY)4. Casa Creed (KY)12. Gear Jockey (KY)
5. Arrest Me Red (KY)12. Gear Jockey (KY)5. Arrest Me Red (KY)8. Scuttlebuzz (NY)1. Change of Control (KY)13. Gregorian Chant (GB)
8. Scuttlebuzz (NY)5. Arrest Me Red (KY)12. Gear Jockey (KY)13. Gregorian Chant (GB)13. Gregorian Chant (GB)4. Casa Creed (KY)

Consensus

  1. Gregorian Chant
  2. Gear Jockey
  3. Arrest Me Red

METROPOLITAN HANDICAP

Short main-track fields have been a concern all weekend at Belmont Park, and the Met Mile is Exhibit A. Just five horses are entered.

But this is some kinda five-horse field. The morning line favorite is the ultra-impressive Flightline; he hasn’t really been tested in his three-race career, but he has been eye-catching in winning all three of his starts, including the Grade 1 Malibu, by more than 10 lengths each. He’ll have to contend with another speedy sort in Cigar Mile winner Speaker’s Corner, and if those two heat up the pace, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Aloha West, a Maryland-bred, could be waiting in the wings.

Derby Bill WatsonJoe ParisiTed BlackJoseph AielloJennifer KellyNick Hahn
Metropolitan1. Flightline (KY)1. Flightline (KY)3. Aloha West (MD)1. Flightline (KY)1. Flightline (KY)2. Speaker’s Corner (KY)
2. Speaker’s Corner (KY)2. Speaker’s Corner (KY)2. Speaker’s Corner (KY)2. Speaker’s Corner (KY)2. Speaker’s Corner (KY)1. Flightline (KY)
3. Aloha West (MD)3. Aloha West (MD)1. Flightline (KY)4. Happy Saver (KY)3. Aloha West (MD)4. Happy Saver (KY)

Consensus

  1. Flightline
  2. Speaker’s Corner
  3. Aloha West

MANHATTAN HANDICAP

The 1 1/4-mile Manhattan, on the lawn, has drawn a field of 10, including four from the barn of uber-trainer Chad Brown. Among his charges are Adhamo (4-1), an even third last out in the Turf Classic at Churchill, and the speedy Tribhuvan (8-1), a Grade 1 winnerwinner last year in the United Nations at Monmouth Park.

But Brown isn’t the only trainer with some bullets in the gun. Christophe Clement will send out morning line favorite Gufo (3-1), winner of last year’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer. Brendan Walsh is going to send out Santin (7-2), winner of the Grade 1 Turf Classic in his last. Graham Motion has longshot Man o’ War winner Highland Chief (6-1). And Bill Mott has last-out G2 Elkhorn winner Channel Maker (8-1).

Derby Bill WatsonJoe ParisiTed BlackJoseph AielloJennifer KellyNick Hahn
Manhattan10. Channel Maker (ON)4. Adhamo (IRE)4. Adhamo (IRE)9. Santin (KY)10. Channel Maker (ON)9. Santin (KY)
2. Gufo (KY)8. Highland Chief (IRE)2. Gufo (KY)2. Gufo (KY)7. Tribhuvan (FR)2. Gufo (KY)
9. Santin (KY)9. Santin (KY)7. Tribhuvan (FR)4. Adhamo (IRE)2. Gufo (KY)8. Highland Chief (IRE)

Consensus

  1. Santin
  2. Adhamo
  3. Channel Maker/Gufo

BELMONT STAKES

The final jewel of the Triple Crown, the mile-and-a-half Belmont Stakes, has drawn a field of eight, including Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, who bypassed the Preakness to await this spot. The deep closer is 7-2 on the morning line. The morning line favorite is the Rodolphe Brisset trainee We the People, who’s 2-1. He thrashed the field in the local Belmont prep, the Grade 3 Peter Pan, in his most recent start after having been up the track in the Arkansas Derby.

Wood Memorial winner Mo Donegal is the 5-2 second choice. He was fifth in the Kentucky Derby in his most recent, closing from well back while wide on the track. The other runners in single digits are Preakness show horse Creative Minister (6-1) and the filly Nest, the runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks after cruising in the Grade 1 Ashland.

Is We the People lone speed? Can Rich Strike run them all down yet again? How does the filly stack up? Answers to these and other questions at 6:44 p.m.

Derby Bill WatsonJoe ParisiTed BlackJoseph AielloJennifer KellyNick Hahn
Belmont6. Mo Donegal (KY)4. Rich Strike (KY)6. Mo Donegal (KY)6. Mo Donegal (KY)3. Nest (KY)6. Mo Donegal (KY)
4. Rich Strike (KY)1. We the People (KY)5. Creative Minister (KY)5. Creative Minister (KY)1. We the People (KY)8. Barber Road (KY)
1. We the People (KY)3. Nest (KY)8. Barber Road (KY)8. Barber Road (KY)6. Mo Donegal (KY)4. Rich Strike (KY)

Consensus

  1. Mo Donegal
  2. Rich Strike
  3. Nest

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