HORSE RACING

​Belmont Park Horse Racing Picks for Thursday, 6/4/20

The Tiller Stakes for older horses on the turf highlights the 10-race card at Belmont Thursday. Which horses are worth a wager at FanDuel Racing?

With most of the sports world on pause, it's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.

Starting at 1:15 p.m. EST, we have 10 races at Belmont Park. Using our numberFire projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.

As always, keep an eye out for scratches and changes and check the weather and track conditions.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions).

Following a 3-for-3 day on Wednesday on our Belmont Horse Racing Picks, let's shoot for more winners with information you can bet on.

Street Dance, Race 2

FD Racing Odds: 12/1

An early race longshot to add to your Daily Double in this 6 furlong sprint for state-breds. A full field of 14 allows some longshots to emerge, and Street Dance (12/1) is a projected board hitter at numberFire as a top-three pick, with another longshot, Wardenofthenorth (10/1), the top pick of numberFire in his debut for trainer Steve Asmussen. Street Dance also makes his debut for top trainer Christophe Clement, with strong stretch rider Joel Rosario taking the mount.

Brian’s Last Song (9/2) could be singing as spoiler after improving in his second race at Aqueduct at shorter odds in early March while running on the lead. He finished second to the favorite against similar state-bred runners, and FanDuel Racing projects another runner-up finish with an 18% chance to win.

Basquiat, Race 8

FD Racing Odds: 5/2

An Allowance race for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles. Basquiat (5/2) will be closer to Even Money at post and consider a Single in the Late Pick 5 and Pick 3 or include with Country Grammar (4/1).

Basquiat is the son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and he won his debut at Gulfstream six weeks ago for top trainer Chad Brown as the co-favorite. FanDuel Racing makes Basquiat the top choice with a 29% chance of winning.

Daily Horse Picks (DHP) agrees with Basquiat on top, with Chad Brown’s other entry, Country Grammer, the top pick at numberFire from the outside post No. 8. Country Grammar is working well after finishing fifth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) in February.

Informative (15/1) is a capable well-bred longshot but has failed to hit the board in three graded stakes races and now drops back down.

Channel Maker, Race 9

FD Racing Odds: 9/2

The $80,000 Tiller Stakes for older horses going 1 3/8 miles on the turf drew a field of 13 and has a handful of quality contenders.

If Rocketry (8/5) can draw in from the also-eligible list, he’ll be the favorite to watch as the FanDuel Racing top choice (38% win probability). Channel Maker has not won in seven starts since winning the 1 3/8 mile Man o’ War (G1) at Belmont in May, 2019 with a 111 Equibase figure. He’s consistently run to a 110 or better figure since, and his two morning works have been excellent the past two weeks. Still, FanDuel Racing does not project him to hit the board from the far outside post with jockey Jose Ortiz in the saddle. Ortiz rode five winners on opening day at Belmont.

DHP projects seven-time winner Sadler’s Joy (5/2) to win this turf trip. In the past two years, this hard-knocking son of Kitten’s Joy has faced better running in seven Grade 1 races, including the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic last October at Belmont. Sadler’s Joy stalked the pace before finishing third as the favorite, a neck behind today’s foe Channel Maker.

Standard Deviation (4/1), a son of Curlin breaking from the rail with jockey John Velasquez, projects to hit the board at DHP and is an inclusion in horizontal wagers.