Pick 3 of the Week: Belmont Park Saturday, October 3

A trio of graded stakes events will close out Belmont Park's huge Saturday card. 

Race 9 Wager

$1 Pick 3: 4,7 with 3,5,9 with 1,4,6,10,11,12 ($36)

Race 9 – Frizette (G1)

Two-year-old fillies will travel the one-turn mile in the first leg of the wager. #4 Libby Lloyd was awesome at first asking, when blitzing her foes by 10 lengths at Saratoga, and is the sure one to beat in the affair. The Into Mischief filly led throughout in her tour-de-force and will be a popular single to commence the play. 

#7 Velora has dusted a pair of New York-bred fields at The Spa to start her career and is the main danger to the heavy favorite. The Linda Rice trainee has finished her races like a filly who can handle more distance, and she has appeal at a better number with Manny Franco inheriting the ride. 

Race 10 – Futurity (G3)

Nine juveniles will dash six panels on the inner turf in the middle piece of the play. #3 Good to Be King has improved his Brisnet Speed rating in every race to date and will also get a fast pace to run at late in this one. The War Front colt will make one run in the lane with Manny Franco in the silks. 

#5 Cactus Closer was a game maiden winner on the Saratoga turf second time out, in a race where the runner-up was four lengths clear of his nearest pursuer. The Practical Joke colt will be forward from the break for Dale Romans. Todd Pletcher’s #9 Pinpoint was a solid third in the Juvenile Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs most recently and will improve in his second run on the green. 

Race 11 – Pilgrim (G2)

A 1 1/16-mile test on the sod for the youngsters attracted a full field of 12 in a challenging closing race of the afternoon. My top pick is #1 Chief of Peace for trainer Miguel Clement. The dark bay son of Munnings rallied well into a slow pace to graduate at first asking at The Spa and will improve second time out while saving ground from the fence. 

Second-timer #4 Roscoe Goose, Mike Maker’s #6 Blaring Ambition, Todd Pletcher’s #10 High Official, European import #11 Dover Street, and Whit Beckman’s #12 Let Em Know will also make the ticket.