Belterra Stakes Plays for July 15

Belterra Park will play host to a pair of black-type events for Ohio-bred runners on Saturday.

Race 3 – Jim Morgan Memorial Tah Dah Dash S.

The 5 1/2-furlong dash on the dirt attracted a field of seven. I’ll take a shot with #4 Gold Honey (10-1) for the upset in this heat. This Nestor Rivera trainee took a nice amount of money in her debut run and chased lone speed to the top of the lane before giving way late in finishing third. The Goldencents juvenile miss is kin to a two-year-old winner, and I expect the May foal to make a nice move forward with one race under her belt. Angel Diaz retains the mount atop the bay, who will be a pace presence from the opening bell.

#1 Artistic Laney (3-1) and #5 Brief Encounter (5-1), both of which were smart debut winners coming from off of the early pace, will be included with my longshot swing.

Wagers

$10 win and place: #4 Gold Honey ($20)

$5 exacta key box: 4 with 1,5 ($20)

Race 8 – Vivacious S.

Fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 grassy furlongs in the finale with 11 going postward. The competitive betting affair attracted a lot of speed contenders, so I will focus on the deeper closing types with my plays. #3 Parfait (15-1) ran evenly in her lone turf attempt to date and is worth including for good connections at a huge number. Dark bay daughter of Midnight Storm is bred to like the green, and the four-year-old possesses a nice turn of foot and could sit the trip to enhance her running style with Victor Lebron returning to the irons for conditioner Timmy Hamm.

#7 Goodness Sakes (5-1) is a stakes winner on the course and is something of a top-three must-use for Robert Gorham. Cowtown Cat four-year-old lacks consistency overall but clearly has ability, and both of her races on the green have been positive ones. The gray will rally from well back early under Barbaran.

Morning-line choice and defending champ #5 I Recall (5-2) has won or placed in eight of her last nine races in total, and the Misremembered six-year-old has had two nice prep runs in advance of her third start of the season, as well. Bourke pupil will track the action early with regular pilot Stanley in the stirrups.

Wagers

$5 exacta box: 3,5,7 ($30)

$2 trifecta box: 3,5,7 ($12)