Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Wednesday Picks

BELMONT STAKES RACING FESTIVAL - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4

#5 Awesome Czech (4/1) – The daughter of Mendelssohn trained by Horacio De Paz is a perfect 2-2 over the turf course at Saratoga, which includes a NY-bred stakes victory last year in the Suzie O’Cain Stakes. While she has not won since that race in August 2024, she has been facing open company and holding her own during that stretch. She came back from a five-month layoff last time out and ran a very good runner-up finish as she was closing hard the last furlong but came up a neck short to favorite Scarlet Poppy. One of the things that is appealing about her is her versatility. If the pace dictates, she can sit within a couple lengths of the lead, but if the pace is brisker, she can close from the back of the field while showing a solid turn of foot. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. is staying aboard after riding her last time out. It is a little curious that jockey Manny Franco, who has ridden her seven times previously, is opting for (or being put on) another De Paz runner in this race. However, Santana Jr. rode her well last time out and she should move forward in her second start off the layoff.

#9 Brocknardini (5/1) – Perhaps I am guilty of continually trying to chase Brocknardini’s debut effort, but she was so visually impressive that day it is hard to get out of your mind. The daughter of Palace Malice just decimated a maiden field in debut at Saratoga in 2023 with a turn of foot that left your jaw on the floor. She went on to win the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park later that year, but never really fulfilled her full promise. She finished second to Awesome Czech in the Suzie O’Cain but failed to make an impression in the Virginia Oaks before finishing up her season with a second-place finish against state-bred optional claiming company. Trainer George Weaver spots her in this race off the bench and she gets a massive jockey upgrade from Eric Cancel to Flavien Prat. Weaver is exceptional bringing horses off the bench and this one feels dangerous given the connections and her potential.

#10 Whatlovelookslike (7/2) – Trainer Todd Pletcher might have the horse with the best class in the field with Whatlovelookslike, but my issue with her is the distance. She has developed into a graded stakes-level horse running in turf marathons as it appears that she appreciates 11-12-furlong races. However, she is only 3-10 in her career winning at Wednesday’s distance. The daughter of English Channel has shown some speed going long but is more of a mid-pack runner when running at 1 1/16 miles, which could present more challenges on Wednesday given her post position where she is likely to get stuck wide around both turns. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is as good as they come and I like him riding mid-pack horses on the turf, but his horses tend to get overbet, so I also am wary of supporting a horse at a shorter price who might not like the distance change. Also, while she does have solid graded stakes form, she is also a combined 1-6 winning against New York-bred stakes competition, so it is not as if she was this dominant runner at this level before facing tougher.

#1 Silver Skillet (3/1) – The morning line favorite has shown plenty of talent during her career but has gotten a series of puzzling rides from jockey Joel Rosario, who stays aboard on Wednesday, and is not in her best form coming into this race. If she runs back to her best race from last summer, then she wins, but most of her other efforts are not good enough to get the job done in this spot and that is before considering the type of ride she will get from Rosario. The Hall of Fame jockey seemed to have a good thing going with the daughter of Liam’s Map when he put her on the lead in consecutive stakes victories but then starts strangling back in the start of races, which would seemingly negate some of her tactical advantage. She has a solid turn of foot and can pass horses from the pack of the field, but she does her best work up front. Rosario got her back up front in the Ticonderoga Stakes to close out her fall campaign last year and is not back aboard in her second start of 2025. She will need to take a step forward from her last effort, which was a dull fourth place showing down at Gulfstream Park against open company, but there should be some natural improvement with her next start. However, she will need to run one of her best races to win and I think a couple of other horses might be sitting on better efforts. She will also likely be a sentimental choice as she was trained by the late Christophe Clement, who recently passed away and whose son, Miguel, has taken over training his father’s horses. It would certainly be an emotional winner’s circle should she win.

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