Pick 3 of the Week: Woodbine Saturday

A total of four graded stakes races will be hosted by Woodbine on Saturday, and I selected a three-race sequence of the black-type tilts as the Pick 3 of the Week. 

Race 8 Wager

• $1 Pick 3: 2,5,8 with 3,7 with 1,2,4,9 ($24)

Race 8 – Royal North S. (G3)

A cast of 10 fillies and mares will jaunt 6 1/2 panels on the grass to kick things off. #8 Earhart has yet to run on the turf, but the daughter of Siyouni has been excellent on the all-weather and comes off a dominant victory in the Whimsical S. (G3) last time out. Speedy filly is bred top and bottom to thrive on the green and looms large with regular pilot Rafael Hernandez riding. 

Four-time stakes heroine #2 Toupie is an obvious inclusion for Graham Motion. Mark Casse’s #5 Ready to Jam loves the surface and could run a big one second off the shelf, as well. 

Race 9 – Eclipse S. (G2)

The boys will travel 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic in the middle leg. Conditioner Mark Casse has two dangerous commodities in the field, and I will include both of his trainees. Expected early leader #3 Get Smokin will make his seasonal debut at a distance that is less than his ideal one. Still, he was a close fourth in the event last campaign against a deeper field, and the $2.1 million earner will be formidable with something resembling his best effort. 

Multiple Grade-1 placed #7 Webslinger has run solely on the grass in advance of Saturday, but the powerful late runner has a lot of talent and could be any kind on the surface switch in this spot. Constitution gelding has trained forwardly on the surface and will be moving best of all late beneath Patrick Husbands. 

Race 10 – Belle Mahone S. (G3)

The closing leg attracted nine fillies and mares to compete in the 1 1/16-mile affair on the all-weather, and I will use multiple runners in the deep and well-matched contest. #1 Dana’s Beauty was a strong winner of the Latonia S. on the Tapeta at Turfway Park last time and rates a big chance while making her local debut. Mike Maker's pupil will be forwardly placed throughout under Husbands. 

King’s Plate S. starlet #2 Caitlinhergrtness has fired four bullets in succession in preparation for her seasonal debut and is a must-use for Kevin Attard. The Omaha Beach filly will have Rafael Hernandez in the silks. Martin Drexler’s #4 Literate has run on the dirt in her last three appearances and will prosper back on this surface at a fair price. The five-year-old mare sports a 4-3-1-0 mark locally and will stalk the pace under Civaci. Defending champ #9 Fashionably Fab is an eight-time winner on the course and bagged this race off a similar kind of layoff in 2024 for Attard. 

Join us on June 7 for a rematch that will shake the stands. Many top Kentucky Derby contenders return for the Belmont S. (G1) to fight for the finish, including probable contender Journalism, winner of Preakness 150, and Sovereignty, winner of Derby 151. Who will stand in the winner's circle for Belmont?

Stay with us throughout Belmont Day during stakes races as we bring you the latest horse racing news, live odds, expert picks, and more. It is sure to be an exciting day of racing!