Horse Racing picks for Belmont Park race track on Friday, July 1: Hoodooland can put a spell on rivals

3:34 pm Belmont Park (Race 6) – Hoodooland 7/4 (2-star play)

Race 6 at Belmont Park is a $90,000 Maiden Special Weight over an extended six furlongs and it can pay to side with Hoodooland, who was a good second on debut and can put that experience to good use here.

This filly showed up well on that debut run over six furlongs at Aqueduct and she will appreciate this extra distance. With improvement expected she should be tough to beat.

3:25 pm Belmont Park (Race 7) – Saint Selby 6/4 (2-star play)

Saint Selby was a comfortable winner by two lengths and three-quarters in an Allowance Optional Claimer here last time, and he has every chance of backing that up. That was a routine win and there could be much more to come from this gelding who has only been seen on the track five times, with three of those being victories. Another big run looks likely here.

3:52 pm Belmont Park (Race 8) – Slicked Back 11/1 (1-star play)

The penultimate race at Belmont Park is a competitive $94,000 Allowance Optional Claiming event on the turf and I like the chances of the Brad Cox-trained gelding in stall one, Slicked Back, who should come on a good amount from his run here at the start of May.

He finished eighth on that occasion but it was his first run for seven months, and this graded-placed performer has more than enough ability to make his presence felt in this race.

4:19 pm Belmont Park (Race 9) – Gaslight 9/1 (1-star play)

An open looking $45,000 Claiming contest over six furlongs on the turf is the ninth and final race at Belmont Park, in which Gaslight can make it two wins from his last three starts.

He won a similar contest here several weeks back and remains unexposed. This late closer can take the finale under Manuel Franco, who was on board for Gaslight’s latest victory.

Exotic

Race 6: 1, 4
Race 7: 3, 5, 6
Race 8: 1, 2, 7
Race 9: 1, 10

$0.50 Late Pick 4, cost $18