Four Graded Stakes Make Strong June 6 Card at Belmont

On what was slated to be Belmont Stakes Day once upon a time, Saturday, June 6, has at least turned out to be racing's biggest day since the COVID-19 pandemic altered life as we know it.

Santa Anita Park cards seven stakes topped by the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1), Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1).

Belmont Park, which stirred back to life Wednesday, will make up for lost time with four graded stakes: the Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T), Westchester Stakes (G3), Intercontinental Stakes (G3T), and Runhappy Carter Handicap (G1).

Sprinters are spotlighted at Churchill Downs in the six-furlong Aristedes Stakes and seven-furlong Dogwood Stakes (G3).

Strategy-wise for multi-race bettors, Belmont and Churchill are linked in a "Cross Country" pick five that starts with the Westchester and Intercontinental and concludes with the Carter and Dogwood. The four stakes at Belmont also begin a must-pay Empire 6 that featured a $78,246 carryover at the conclusion of racing Thursday.

Wagering pickings are slim at The Great Race Place. The Oaks goes with a field of four; the Derby is strictly a rematch between Authentic and Honor A.P., the top two in the San Felipe (G2); and it's impossible to get past the trio of Midcourt, Higher Power, and Improbable in a six-horse Gold Cup.

Westchester (Bel, race 7, 4:32 p.m. ET): Perhaps this merely serves to knock him right into the winner's circle, but I'm against 6-5 favorite Code of Honor (9), who hasn't run since finishing off the board as second choice in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He was dead short at 4-5 off a shorter absence to begin 2019; Shug McGaughey is not strong (10%) with long-layoff types over the past year and a half; he hasn't posted any published workouts beyond four furlongs; and he spots weight to the field.

Monongahela (2) and Payne (4) return from shorter layoffs for Chad Brown, who got off to a fast start at the meet with two wins opening day, including Rushing Fall in the Beaugay Stakes (G3T). Monongahela (formerly trained by Jason Servis) was a close second in the John B. Campbell Stakes when last seen in mid-winter, while Payne won three straight at Aqueduct Racetrack after getting a switch to Kendrick Carmouche.

Endorsed (1) and Mihos (3) have a recency edge after recent victories against optional claiming company at Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park.

A - 2, 4

B - 1, 3, 9

Intercontinental (Bel, race 8, 5:04 p.m. ET): Chad Brown sends out four of the 12 fillies and mares in this seven-furlong turf sprint, headed by last year's winner Significant Form (12).

Significant Form won this race off a slightly longer break a year ago to the day, and also won first out the two previous years. Newspaperofrecord, extraordinary as a juvenile but a colossal disappointment at age 3, sprints for the first time and is a defensive use; maybe this is what she wants to do.

Viadera (1), a Juddmonte Farms homebred making her United States debut with first-time Lasix, and Regal Glory (7), a three-time stakes winner in 2019, appear to have trained in tandem locally and at Palm Meadows Training Center.

The only non-Brown runner in this mix is Rose Flower (9), who makes her first start since getting shuffled back on the far turn and stymied through the stretch of the Autumn Days at Aqueduct six months ago; she is 3 for 3 at the distance.

A - 12

B - 1, 5, 9

C - 7

Carter (Bel, race 9, 5:36 p.m. ET): The first grade 1 stakes race of the season in New York, originally scheduled for April 4, features Performer (2) as a slight morning-line choice in his initial try against older stakes horses.

Performer—another comebacker for McGaughey—was brought along slowly but surely through the second half of 2019, winning four straight starts climaxed by a gutsy triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Discovery Stakes over the more stakes-seasoned Tax. Performer will be sprinting for the first time since beating Westchester contender Payne in a first-level allowance at Saratoga Race Course last summer, and it's fair to wonder whether he'll be sharp enough against several others with proven seven-furlong form and more recent racing.

Firenze Fire (1) and Mind Control (10) are $1 million earners that need to be used. Firenze Fire won three straight stakes for former trainer Jason Servis at the turn of the year and loves Belmont. Mind Control has won graded stakes at seven furlongs in each of his three seasons and can be placed anywhere depending on how the pace unfolds.

Network Effect (5) is at the forefront of the play after a promising prep in the Big Drama Stakes at Gulfstream, in which he was shuffled back on the turn and recovered to win going away.

A - 5, 11

B - 1, 2, 10

Dogwood (CD, race 10, 5:50 p.m. ET): Edgeway (8) showed brilliance in a big-figure debut victory, and after weakening from a pace duel in the Purple Martin Stakes she rebounded and showed versatility rallying from midpack to win an allowance race at Oaklawn Park meet. The daughter of Competitive Edge  has subsequently worked several times at Churchill.

Four Graces (2) has two wins at the Dogwood's seven-furlong distance, and has the benefit of a recent race over the track.

Ain't No Elmers (4) won two sprints in blowout fashion to start off, and cuts back after giving futile chase to highly-regarded Gamine going long.

Bayerness (3) and Magic Dance (5) showed promise at 2, and will look to rebound from disappointing efforts in their initial outings of the year.

A - 2, 8

B - 4

C - 3, 5