Belmont Park Picks – Friday, October 16, 2020

Belmont Park brings us ten maiden, allowance, and claiming races for Friday, and I discover formidable underdogs in all three of the richest races Belmont’s race card offers.

Since all the races I’m covering at Belmont today are on turf, it might be a good idea to take a look at the weather: Rainy, with temps in the low 60s and winds around 12 mph.

Read on for my Belmont Park picks and betting tips for Friday, October 16, 2020.

This is an allowance race for three-year-olds and upward running a distance of six furlongs on turf for a purse of $65,000.

I like the second-favored (5/2) entry in this race—Maxwell Esquire, with Joel Rosario in the irons. This three-year-old colt finished in the money for seven of his nine career starts, winning three.

Neither of the morning line’s 15/1 entries looks to finish in the money, so save your long money for later.

This is an allowance optional claiming race for fillies and mares three years old and upward running a distance of seven furlongs on turf for a purse of $67,000.

My money’s on the third-favored (5/1) entry here—Secure Connection, ridden by Jose L. Ortiz. This three-year-old filly moneyed seven of her 11 career starts, winning three. Sure, the 8/5 favorite has raced in Roma and Milan and France, but a passport full of visas doesn’t translate to a win—even with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard.

There are no long-odds entries in this race that seem likely to finish in the money, so let’s move on.

This is an allowance race for fillies and mares three years old and upward running a distance of 1-1/8 miles on turf for a purse of $65,000.

I like the second-favored (3/1) entry here—Key Biscayne, with John R. Velazquez aboard. This three-year-old filly moneyed six of her 11 career starts, winning two of them. Her accomplishments are more impressive because her competition in many of these races—including three stakes races–was more formidable than that faced by the favorite.

At 15/1, I have to like Pandamom, with Junior Alvarado in the irons, for a bargain show ticket. This three-year-old filly moneyed three of her four starts, winning one.

Not enough action at Belmont today? Well, I found more underdogs and longshots to make our bankrolls happy at the other two tracks I reviewed for today: