Finally had some winners on top, although came a half length short of hitting my pick 3.  Did scratch into one when Merriwether Jessica was scratched in race 8.  Had a flat bet profit of $13.40.

Listed 4 at Belmont but only had one winner on top (my single in race 10), but failed to hit my pick 4. Had an $39 exacta key in race 2, a $78 exacta box and $180 triple box in race 6 and listed the winner in race 7 for an $80 double.  Better list some more winners on top as Saratoga!

Fast and firm at Belmont today and I have a strong hope we can hit the late pick 4!  Starting with race 7, use #’s 1,7&2 in a contentious race.  In race 8, 1 and 7 and in race 9 use #’s 5 and 1.  The key to the bet is race 10 where Storm Hope (#2) looks like a standout on paper and is your single.  Total for the bet is $24.  Here’s the entire card and good luck!

Race 1: 7 and 4

Race 2: 7 with 1 and 6

Race 3: 4 and 1

Race 4: 4 with 1 and 5

Race 5: 7 and 9

Race 6: 7 with 8 and 2

Race 7: 1 with 7 and 2

Race 8: 1 and 7

Race 9: 5 (Best Bet)and 1

Race 10: 2(Best Bet) and 8

Fast and firm at today at Monmouth on a beautiful day so why not play for a beautiful payoff.  In the 6th, 7th and 8th races, you may be able to single a horse in each race and all of them may not be favorites.  In race 6, George Weaver sends out Find The Wire (#4), who moves inside in this turf route and may get a good pace to set up his late run.  I’m keying in pick 3’s with Township Cat (#3) in race 7 and Merriweather Jessica (#2) in race 8. Use my second picks in races 6 and 8 if you want to extend the ticket.  Here’s the entire card and good luck!

Race 1: 3 and 7

Race 2: 3 and 9

Race 3: 3 and 1

Race 4: 5 and 10

Race 5: 5 and 4

Race 6: 4 (Best Bet) and 1

Race 7: 3 (Best Bet)

Race 8: 2 (Best Bet) and 7

Race 9: 2 (Best Bet)

Race 10: 9 and 7

Picking winners — it’s the most important thing to being a good handicapper.  Or, is it?  Let me explain using the Belmont card on July 18th.  On the surface, not a bad day.  I had 5 winners listed, 3 on top.  But what about races 6 and 7, which will show up in the statistics as two more losers, but it may have been my best handicapping of the day from a price standpoint.  In both races, my top selections ran second.  One was 12-1 and one was 8-1. In fact, with a late scratch, I only gave out one pick in race 7! My point is that the exactas in each race were terrific, one over $250.  All you had to do is key my top pick up and down in exactas for a nice score!  Or, how about a nice place bet for a change?

In the last month or so, I’ve handicapped 11 cards at Belmont.  In 104 races, I’ve given out 28 winners on top (about 25%) with a loss of $42 on a $2 bet. Not bad, but on the surface, not better than many public handicappers you can read in the local papers.  I will do better than them over time with winners, but if you look behind the statistics, maybe I have already.  And that’s the truth!