Belmont Park | Race 7 | Post Time 4:46 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
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Retonova and A True Giant were supposed to face off in that April 22 New York Stallion Stakes, but A True Giant was scratched at the gate after acting up. Retonova (#2) won that day, but he had to work harder to do so than I would have liked. I know the speed figures indicate it was a good effort, but he’s facing a significantly tougher field this time.

Getting scratched out of that race may have been a blessing in disguise for A TRUE GIANT (#3), who would have been coming back in just 11 days. Now he has more time between starts and I think that makes him a formidable presence. He earned a 110 TimeformUS Speed Figure for that debut win, which is among the highest numbers in the field. We saw one of the soundly beaten also-rans come back to win his next start, which suggests that it may have simply been a very strong race.

While Morning Breez and Sea Foam also possess some speed, I’m not convinced that they’re quite as fast as A True Giant, if he breaks cleanly. Over the past five years, Rudy Rodriguez is 7 for 19 (37 percent, $3.53 ROI) with debut winners making their second starts in dirt sprints at NYRA tracks.

I’m primarily using him with logical contender Aveenu Malcainu (#7), who gets some needed class relief after running against open graded stakes company in a series of races. He actually ran pretty well in the Bay Shore last time after attending a fast pace that collapsed.

THE PLAY

Win: 3
Exacta Key Box: 3 with 2,6,7,10
Trifecta: 3,7 with 3,7 with 2,5,6,10