Stakes plays for Belmont Park for June 26

A pair of stakes races for sophomore fillies will headline the action at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Race 8 -- Mother Goose S. (G2)

A compact field of five will go postward in the 1 1/16-mile affair on the main oval. #3 Clairiere (9-5) has been running with some of the top horses in the division and rates a big chance for Asmussen. The stout-closing daughter of Curlin comes in fresh following a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), and I think that she will thrive in the one-turn test.

The Stonestreet homebred has come out victorious both times that she has run fresh, and the bay is working like a filly coming up to a big race. Irad Ortiz Jr.'s taking the reins is an obvious plus.

I thought that #1 Make Mischief (4-1) ran her best race to date when a nice third in the Acorn S. (G1) last time out. The Casse pupil is proven on the oval and could appreciate the move to 1 1/16 miles, too. She is the main threat to my top pick.

Race 9 -- Wild Applause S.

A field of nine three-year-old fillies will contest the one-mile turf contest in a fairly wide-open affair. I came away very impressed with the winning U.S. debut from #2 Minaun (5-2) and will back her for Chad Brown. The Group 3-winning Euro import exploded late to dominate her elders over good going here at six furlongs, and the added ground will only aid her on Saturday. Irish-bred daughter of Zoffany could be a special one. Manny Franco has the call.

Filling out the exotics will not be easy in a field full of contenders, but I will give #3 Lovestruck (5-1) the nod to finish second in the race. Trained by Bill Mott, the Godolphin homebred is 2-for-2 lifetime led by a score in the Tepin S. in her juvenile finale. The gray daughter of Tapit has been successful on both firm and good turf ovals, and I envision her being fairly close to an expected slow early pace in the Wild Applause S. Junior Alvarado will be in the stirrups.