Steve Matthews' Belmont at the Big A selections for Saturday, Oct. 26
Best bet: TWIRLING LULU (11)
Best value: O P FIRECRACKER (3)
FIRST: Rookie Card second in both starts, holds experience edge in field of mostly newcomers. Griffin's Wharf is training swiftly for debut; charting a must. Treaty of Rome and Graffiti Writer are uncoupled firsters from the Chad Brown barn; enough said.
SECOND: Summer Whirl tallied swift final fraction when a close-up fifth in last; more to come. Saratoga Gaze is a last-race winner that could play out as the main speed; very interesting. Roagna would be aided by pace meltdown.
THIRD: O P Firecracker never got going in the slop last time; rebounds on dry land. Winnin'onweekends consistently delivers strong efforts. Digital Ops regressed in last after fast-figured fourth in prior; bounce-back threat.
FOURTH: Whiskey Frens noticeably picked up the tempo in final two works; ready at first asking. Kenny Be was second to a runaway winner in debut; obvious danger. Volatile Situation outworked 174 rivals in half-mile drill on Oct 13; could be the goods.
FIFTH: Scat Tu Tap drops after being compromised by wide trip in last; price will be on your side. Inflation Nation owns sprinter's speed and could prove very tough on a soft lead. Decanted is fresh and owns fast final figures; must consider.
SIXTH: Capricious Outcome moves to turf for Chad Brown; tight recent work tab seals the deal. Nod to Tran could find 1 1/16-mile trip right in his wheelhouse. Cipher is from a dam that has produced two grass winners.
SEVENTH: Runninsonofagun fired two swift drills since last start; forward move predicted. Scotland should pack intensified wallop with cutback to 6 furlongs. Twenty Four Mamba owns competitive numbers on best efforts.
EIGHTH: Messier compiled eye-catching work tab for first start since May; ready to score. Nelson Avenue is riding a two-race winning streak; dangerous. Stage Raider needed last; improvement expected.
NINTH: Dude N Colorado projects as the main speed on the hedge with proper handling. Ocean Atlantique gets class relief and could be in the garden spot if top selection hits the wall. Tidal Forces is another that would be aided by fast fractions.
10TH: Life Talk was a hard-charging second in last and owns faster back numbers. Tarifa could be ideally positioned in the stalker's seat. Gun Song consistently fires big efforts; right in the thick of this.
11TH: Twirling Lulu adds blinkers and moves to sod; swift half-mile drill on Oct 18 is the clincher. Disco Star looms the prime beneficiary if top selection wilts in the stretch. Wild Mischief was a sharp second in lone grass start; dangerous. Cue the Music debuts for potent first-out barn; don't ignore.
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