Belmont Park’s feature on Thursday is the $80,000 Tiller Stakes going 1 3/8 miles over the turf. We handicap and make free horse racing picks for that race as well as a couple of intriguing dirt races earlier on Thursday’s Belmont card. Check out top plays and Horse Racing Odds from Belmont Park for Thursday, June 4. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.
Belmont Park Horse Racing Picks
- When: Thursday, June 4 at 1:15 pm ET
- Where: Elmont, NY
- Weather: Chance of Rain Showers
- Temperature: High 82 – Low 63
Belmont Park Picks for Thursday, June 4
Race 3 – 2:23 pm ET – 6 Furlongs Dirt – $25,000 Claiming
Trainer Bruce Levine has won just 2 races this year. It sort of makes sense. Levine’s horses do their best running at Belmont. That’s why we’re backing 4/1 on the morning line Bustin Shout to take Race 3 at Big Sandy on Thursday. The 4-year-old gelded son of Bustin Stones has a win and a third from 2 races over Belmont’s dirt. Levine’s charge has a win and 2 seconds from 5 races at the distance. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche could put this one on the lead and try and go gate-to-wire or track the other speed. Either way, Kendrick has a big advantage.
Coupled entry Bronx Bomber and Vicar’s Legend both have a shot to grab the win. Vicar’s Legend is the closer. Bronx Bomber is the speed. Consider for the top spot as well as the bottom of the exacta.
Big Thicket breaks from the rail for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Rudy’s New York based horses, especially those that run at Belmont, often perform well. We can’t leave from the trifecta. That’s especially true because Irad Ortiz decides to ride.
- Win: Bustin Shout
- Place: Bronx Bomber / Vicar’s Legend
- Show: Big Thicket
Race 8 – 5:04 pm ET – 1 1/16 Miles Dirt –$66,000 Allowance
Michael Stidham had planned to run Mystic Guide in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes. We liked the Ghostzapper sired 3-year-old so much that we picked him to win the Matt Winn. We’re not sure why Stidham decided to take this one to Belmont and race here, but that’s okay. Guide should hold the 3/1 morning line odds, and these are much easier than the beast that won the Matt Winn, top Triple Crown race contender Maxfield.
Trainer Mark Casse could have a Triple Crown contender after this in Tap It to Win. The Tapit sired runner got a great confidence building victory in a 6-furlong event on May 9 at Gulfstream Park. Because Tapit sired, the longer the better for this one. Johnny V. takes the call.
Morning line favorite Basquiat heads into this off a maiden score. Chad Brown trains and Irad rides. That makes the chalk a contender. But Brown doesn’t always do his best work with 3-year-old colts. Others appear more suited for the win.
- Win: Mystic Guide
- Place: Tap It to Win
- Show: Basquiat
Race 9 – 5:36 pm ET – 1 3/8 Miles Turf – $80,000 Tiller Stakes
James Lawrence II is 0-for-21 this year. We’re willing to back the trainer to get his first win on Thursday. 20/1 on the morning line Paret had never raced longer than 1 1/16 miles before trying the $100,000 Point of Entry Stakes over this turf last October. Paret finished second by 1 ½ lengths behind Red Knight. It’s apparent the Harbour Watch sired 6-year-old gelding loves these long turf races. Why not take a shot?
Jonathan Thomas trained Corelli runs first time in the U.S. Thomas is one of the top turf trainers in the nation. Not only that but he wins 30% with horses racing off a layoff and 20% with shippers to the U.S. Corelli could simply outclass this field.
Sadler’s Joy gets major class relief. The 7-time winner drops into this stakes after racing in graded events. Joy could take this. But the odds will be lower than the 5/2 morning line, making the 7-year-old horse an underlay.
- Win: Paret
- Place: Corelli
- Show: Sadler’s Joy
