Friday's Best Bet: Bay Storm alters course in Intercontinental
Friday’s 11th race at Belmont Park is the Grade 3 Intercontinental Stakes for fillies and mares dashing six furlongs on the turf course. The scheduled post time is 6:19 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Belmont Park entries and results.
No. 5 Bay Storm (3-1) was my top choice last weekend in the Royal North at Woodbine but scratched that day and runs here instead. She could not catch strong favorite Caravel in the Unbridled Sidney on the Kentucky Oaks undercard at 5 1/2 furlongs on May 5 but ran on nicely for the place after rallying through traffic. This versatile mare almost always fires trifecta shots and John Velazquez can place her anywhere. This race is lacking quality early speed and I can see her making the early lead or sitting very close to the front.
No. 7 Bubble Rock (5-2) is sharp and versatile. She ended 2022 with a front running victory in the Mrs. Revere at 1 1/6 miles, and set the pace and missed by a neck in her flat mile turf return at Keeneland on April 16. She turned back in the License Fee and rallied for the win in that local affair on May 7. She won the Matron at this course and distance in 2021. Joel Rosario rides her well and a stalking trip is expected.
No. 6 Amy C (5-1) won her last three 6 1/2 furlong turf sprints at Santa Anita and she stalked the pace in those races. Flavien Prat wins races with Phil D’Amato and she drilled a Churchill bullet for this on June 3.
No. 1 Poppy Flower (9-2) won two turf sprint stakes last year. She hit the board in both turf sprints this year including a runner-up finish in the License Fee at this course and distance on May 7. She might have more to offer in her third start after a layoff.
No. 2 Sarah Harper (6-1) rallied for the show in the Unbridled Sidney on May 5 and she ended up a head behind Bay Storm that day. She is capable of getting closer to the early leaders and might need to do just that in this spot.
No. 8 Goin’ Good (8-1) fired trifecta shots in 10 of 13 turf starts. She stalked the pace and landed the show in the License Fee last time.
Get Jarrod’s Belmont Stakes Day analysis.
Wagers
No. 5 to win
Exacta Box 5-7
Trifecta 5-7/1-2-5-6-7-8/1-8
Recent Best Bet winners
May 23 – Do You Love Me ($5.60)
May 25 – Alogon ($10)
May 29 – Ego Man/Easy Day exacta ($18.40)
Saturday - Kalik ($7.90), trifecta ($41.80)
Tuesday - Uncle Ernie ($4.60), exacta ($12.60), trifecta ($46.60)