in Triple Crown Free Picks

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along with coverage of major stakes races, longshots, and he will keep you up to date on what is happening on the circuits he covers.

We are just days away from Saturday’s 140th Triple Crown winner in over three decades.

That gives us just a couple of days to pad our bankroll with some online Churchill Downs came up with just a six horse field, but we might still get a decent enough exacta payoff.

We’ll invest $24 in the late Pick 3 play at Belmont Park. There are three longshots in the sequence, which could send us to the window after the nightcap to cash a decent ticket.

Today's Play of the Day from Churchill Downs:

CD Race 8 OClm $100,000N$Y (4:56 et)

#1 Forty Grams 3/1
#5 Bold Start 5/2
#2 Officer Rocket 7/2
#4 Cougar Cat 3/1

Analysis: #1 Forty Grams was not a real threat last out in a fourth place finish against a strong group of optional claimers. The winner of the race was First Defence, a stakes winner who was fifth in the G1 Met Mile in his next start. Third place finisher Vicarian came back to beat optional claimers in his next outing here on 5/26. Figures to move forward in his second start off the bench for Asmussen barn.

#5 Bold Start went gate to wire over "good" turf to beat optional claimers, now returns to the main track here, and cuts back to seven furlongs. Looks back on track after checking in fifth against a solid group on poly two back and catching a sloppy inner three back.

Wagering

WIN: #1 to win at 2/1 or better.

EX: 1,5 / 1,2,5

TRI: no play

Belmont Park Late Pick 3

Starting in Race 7: $1: 1,5,8 / 3,5 / 1,5,7,10 = $24

BEL Race 7 Alw $56,000N1X (4:12 et)

#8 Slambino, #1 Compromise, #3 So It Goes

#8 Slambino prompted the early pace and held on well for the runner up spot last out in the slop in a race taken off the turf. It was a decent effort in his first go against winners and his two turf tries in the maiden ranks were decent enough, a couple of fourth place finishes. Figures to be a decent price in this spot and appears to be on the improve.

#1 Compromise was the beaten fav last out, checking in second at Keeneland going a mile. The winner of the race was Society's Chairman, who ran second in a G3 at Woodbine in his next outing on 5/25. The Mott gelding is a full brother to Go Between ($2 million).

BEL Race 8 OClm $75,000N3X (4:45 et)

#3 Solarana, #5 Are We Dreamin

#3 Solarana made a mild late rally after having to steady and getting shuffled back to finish in the runner up spot last out behind gate to wire winner Looking Yonder, who came right back to win the G2 Vagrancy in her next start on 5/25. The mare makes her third start of her current form cycle and looks like she has found a good spot here.

#5 Are We Dreamin was a game winner two back in a hard fought effort to beat Alw-2 foes and regressed last out in a third place finish in her first go at today's condition. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and low profile barn has really been sending out live runners (24-5-5-6) at the meet.

BEL Race 9 Md $35,000 (5:17 et)

#5 I'll Make It Up, #7 Howdymissthisone, #1 Dual Citizenship, #10 Smarteralex

#5 I'll Make It Up adds blinkers here for his third start off the bench. The gelding tracked the early pace, made a good move to get into the mix and could not go with the top pair in a third place finish. Looks headed in the right direction form wise and catches a slow looking group here.

#7 Howdymissthisone makes his first start since April at Gulfstream where he checked in fifth against maiden special weight company, beaten 1 1/2 lengths for the top spot. Not only drops in for a tag, he faces NY breds again.

Live Longshots:

These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

Churchill Downs

R1: #4 Leedonna 12/1
R3: #3 Natural Tendancy 8/1
R7: #6 Atatsuki 10/1
R9: #9 Resent to Win 12/1
R9: #4 Thirteen Moons 10/1

Belmont Park

R4: #4 Fort Carillon 8/1
R5: #4 Returnto Karakorum 10/1
R6: #5 Rajasthan 10/1
R7: #2 Straight Money Man 12/1
R7: #8 Slambino 8/1
R8: #5 Are We Dreamin 10/1
R9: #1 Dual Citizenship 20/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!

Check the BetUS Belmont Stakes