BELMONT OCTOBER 4

1: Unlike Wall Street, won't be risking the bank on this one. Looking for 5-1 or so, minimum. Baystreet Bully (almost vs. better 2 back); Frenchman's Cove (form, trainer); EZ Dollar (ran well vs. better); Classic Impact (new trainer). $24 tri ticket = $122

2: Imperial Council. The Pletcher first-timer American Dance certainly looks sweet, but the odds will be well under 5-1, and that's the minimum for firsters. $2 exacta =$9.90

3: August Rex. Levine's horse will be overbet. Even money would be fair, but life ain't fair. Law N' Dora (10-1) to place might be a better bet, or on bottom of an exacta. That's based on three good races in a row, and a toss of that last sloppy affair. Law N Dora scratched, Rex failed.

4: Reality in the Morn to place. Friday Meeting to win. Some brave souls might suggest a $2 exacta fling here. Ready won and paid $3.2o to place. Friday failed.

5: Oceanography, or so say the sages. Howsoever, Mr. Frankel has not been able to solve this puzzle. The huge drop into claimers might do it. But routing off a layoff? I dunno. Mischief has a better post and the same drop, a positive jockey switch and far fewer failures. Wrong Oceanography won, Mischief placed.

6: THE JAMAICA Gio Ponti. Unbeaten at Belmont, a proven Grade 2 horse with an even-money record. But Court Vision looks good too. Discard his Grade 1 failures. The best race of his life was long and on turf. I would box 'em up, but hey, that's me. $2 exacta=$14.20

7: Blue Rider is a nice horse, but the post is bad and so is his record at Belmont. Yario has been dull for 5 races in a row. Mr. Sam I Am also has a bad post, and this is definitely not his distance.
Youbethecan switches to Edgar, and two mushy races in a row disguise his form and raise his price. Bingo! Wrong! Yario won.

8: FRIZETTE. This is the one for the two-year-old fillies, right? Meaning we're not going to cover ourselves in chalk. Need 5-1 or so.
Gemswick Park, sure is a contender, but at 3-1? That's laughable. A very nice maiden win, that's all we've got. Some of the other ladies in here have been to the big dance, and run nicely. Heavenly Vision could be a surprise. Toss the off-track Matron, and whaddaya got? A horse that won her only race impressively, and might improve next time she feels a dry track under her knuckles. Persistently, placer in the Matron, is probably peaking in his 4th race while others have a lot of room to improve. Miss Ocean City keeps stretching out and raced well into the stretch in a G2 over an off track. Dangerous! And 12-1 in the morning. Collegiate. Nice longshot, returns to site of only victory, and there was no shame in the races she lost at the Spa.
Bottom line: I'd much rather spread my bet among these longshots than back any horse at a cheap price. Wrong. Missed Sky Diva.

9: CHAMPAGNE Break Water Edison 12-1. Cribnote 4-1. Vineyard Heaven 8-1. Hello Broadway 7/2 based on a maiden win? You gotta be kiddin me. Girolomo 10/1. Munnings 6/1. Once again, I call on my Dutch Uncle Schultz to say spread the cash among the reasonable longshots here, and whoever the crowd picks, ignore him. Well, they liked Cribnote. Vineyard Haven $4.20

10 Sharf Al Medina, Offshore. But with no enthusiasm whatsoever. And with good reason.