Horse Racing picks for Belmont Park race track on Saturday, May 28: Secret Rules with an iron fist

1:00 pm Belmont Park (Race 1) – Big Castle 9/5 (2-star play)

Finished on the board when placing third in a $25,000 claiming contest over a mile at Aqueduct back in March and appeared to appreciate the drop to this level when finishing a head second over seven furlongs here subsequently. Led in the stretch on that occasion and having joined the Tom Morley barn subsequently the son of Paynter looks capable of registering a second win in three starts at this track with Trevor McCarthy booked to ride.

1:32 pm Belmont Park (Race 2) – Secret Rules 1/2 (3-star play)

Has failed to score since winning an allowance optional claiming contest by a wide margin at Aqueduct back in January 2020 but has delivered some solid on the board finishes in similar contests since. Out of form in $62,500 allowance optional claimers at Aqueduct on his two most recent starts but gets a marked drop in grade here and looks up to delivering a victory dropped to seven furlongs following an impressive 47.30 four furlong breeze here six days ago.

3:34 pm Belmont Park (Race 6) – Makin My Move 3/1 (2-star play)

Broke her maiden at the first attempt when scoring by twelve-and-a-half-lengths over six furlongs on a good main track at Saratoga last August and subsequently finished a close fourth in the Grade 3 Matron Stakes on turf here in October. Disappointed dropped to this trip on her return to the main track at Aqueduct the following month but gets a drop in grade here and looks up to making a winning seasonal debut racing on lasix for the first time.

4:40 pm Belmont Park (Race 8) – Highly Motivated 5/2 (2-star play)

Finished on the board twice when on the Derby trail last year including when a neck second in the Grade 2 Bluegrass Stakes over a mile-and-one-sixteenth at Keeneland at the start of April. Could finish only tenth in the big Churchill Downs race itself and missed the rest of 2021. Showed plenty of promise when two-and-a-half-lengths fourth over seven furlongs at Keeneland on seasonal debut last month and looks up to registering a victory on his second start back.

5:12 pm Belmont Park (Race 9) – Haughty 5/2 (2-star play)

Suffered a DQ when first passed the post on debut here last September but made no mistake at the second attempt when winning by four lengths in a mile-and-one-sixteenth maiden special weight at Keeneland the following month. Subsequently caught the eye when third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in early November and coming here on the back of a 1:02.08 five furlong work she is selected to make a winning seasonal debut for Chad Brown.

Exotic

Race 7 – 2, 5
Race 8 – 2, 3
Race 9 – 8, 9
Stake – $2.00
Total Stake – $16.00