Scully: Late Pick 3 Play at Belmont Saturday

One of two turf stakes for three-year-olds, the Hill Prince (G3) is included in the Late Pick 3 at Belmont Park Saturday. I like a runner in the race afterwards and have built a $3 ticket on the sequence, wagering on a $30 budget.

Here’s my Pick 3 ticket, with analysis below.

Late Pick 3 (races 9-11)

• 1,3,5,6,7 with 1,6 with 7 ($30 for $3 ticket)

Race 9 – Maiden

Lack a strong opinion in the first leg, a seven-furlong maiden special weight for New York-bred fillies and mares. #3 Promise Me Amelody (2-1) and #6 Okay Annie (3-1) rate as logical contenders based upon recent efforts, and I will look to advance with five of the seven runners, including #1 All Bright (10-1), #5 Our Sweet Harpie (8-1), and #7 Liberty’s Advance (4-1).

Race 10 – Hill Prince (G3)

After getting up to win a restricted entry-level allowance for New York-breds, #6 Caroline St. Beat (7-5) came back seven days to upset the lucrative Nashville Derby (G2) at Kentucky Downs. He’s been given seven weeks to rest in advance of the 1 3/16-mile Hill Prince, logging a pair of works for Miguel Clement in the interim, but it’s fair to question whether that effort will take anything away from Caroline St. Beat.

I won’t let him beat me but will also use #1 Print (8-1) at a better price. The colt enters on the upswing for Robert Ribaudo, rallying well for fourth after blowing the far turn on Saratoga’s inner turf in the Hall of Fame (G2) and delivering a strong turn of foot to win an allowance on the Travers (G1) undercard. Print will look to make a serious late impact with Ricardo Santana Jr.

Race 11 – Maiden Claiming

New York-bred $50,000 maiden claimers will conclude the sequence at a mile on turf, and I like #7 Fresh Start (8-1) adding blinkers in the second start back from a freshening. The lightly raced four-year-old gelding flashed some ability in two starts when switching to turf last spring, and Fresh Start came back from a rest with an improved and troubled effort at this level last time.

Flashing speed at the break, Fresh Start was shuffled back entering the first turn but advanced into a threatening position while saving ground along the backstretch and far turn at Saratoga. But he was forced to check approaching the stretch, stuck down inside of horses nearly all the way to the wire while seemingly screaming out for more room, and finished with interest when clear late. I like the addition of blinkers and post draw, with no apparent speed to his outside, and will single Fresh Start.