Betting a longshot daily double at Belmont Park on Saturday

While Pick 5s and Pick 6s have the reputations for massive payoffs, even a simple daily double can be a lucrative wager with the right combination of high-priced winners.

Saturday’s stakes-packed card at Belmont Park may offer the right opportunity to cash a hefty payoff on a double. The Intercontinental (G3) and the Carter H. (G1) both feature competitive fields with the potential to produce surprising results.

Let’s dig in and try to make a big score with a small wager.

Race 8: Intercontinental (G3, 5:04 p.m. ET)

Trainer Chad Brown is renowned for his skill at training fillies and mares on grass, and he’ll saddle four in this 7-furlong turf sprint — #1 Viadera (6-1), #5 Newspaperofrecord (3-1), #7 Regal Glory (5-1), and #12 Significant Form (5-2). All four are stakes winners with the class to challenge for victory.

But there is no guarantee any will reach the winner’s circle. They’re all returning from long layoffs, and they finished off the board in their final starts of 2019.

That’s why I’m going to take a chance with #6 Jakarta (15-1).

Currently under the care of trainer Mike Maker, Jakarta has turned into a win machine since he was claimed last summer, with five victories from six starts. A pure frontrunner, Jakarta is primarily a dirt horse and carried her speed over a mile to win the Powder Break S. at Gulfstream last month.

But this improving 5-year-old also won her only turf start, when he sired a 5-furlong allowance sprint at Gulfstream in the rapid time of :55.16. Take note of the way she sprinted home the final 3 furlongs in :32.96 to dominate by 2 3/4 lengths.

With her hot form and blazing speed, Jakarta has a chance to spring a surprise in the Intercontinental.

We’ll single her in the first half of our double.

Race 9: Carter H. (G1, 5:36 p.m. ET)

Grade 1 winners #1 Firenze Fire (7-2) and #10 Mind Control (4-1) are obvious choices to win this 7-furlong dash on the main track. Firenze Fire loves Belmont and romped by four lengths in Laurel Park’s General George (G3) in February, while Mind Control is 2-for-2 in 2020 and has the versatility to win from pretty much anywhere in the pack.

But Brown’s #5 Network Effect (8-1) is an interesting newcomer to the sprinting scene. Though Network Effect showed promise running long as a juvenile, the son of Mark Valeski is 2-for-2 sprinting and delivered an eye-catching victory in the 7-furlong Big Drama S. at Gulfstream last month.  Despite an awkward trip waiting behind horses, Network Effect rallied powerfully along the fence in the homestretch to score by two lengths, with a career-best 105 Brisnet Speed rating.

It’s possible Network Effect has been a sprinter all along and is only now finding his niche. We’ll use him equally with Firenze Fire and Mind Control to complete the double.

$10 double: 6 with 1,5,10 ($30)

Good luck!