Two singles for the early Pick 3 at Belmont Park

Looking forward to an exciting weekend of racing?

Let’s try to start the Saturday action on a winning note by playing the opening Pick 3 at Belmont Park on a $20 budget:

Race 1: $40,000 maiden claiming (6 furlongs on turf, 1:15 p.m. ET)

#10 Our Troubadour (7-2) ran well enough in two turf tries last fall and returns to the lawn after finishing second for a $30,000 tag over the Belmont main track on June 3, his first start off a four-month layoff. He’s climbing up the class ladder, but trainer Edward Baker strikes at a 20% rate with horses jumping up one class level. There’s a strong chance turf will prove to be Our Troubadour’s preferred surface considering his sire, the young Palace Malice, is already responsible for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) champion Structor and P. G. Johnson S. winner Crystalle.

We’ll take a stand with Our Troubadour to kick off the sequence.

Race 2: $25,000 claiming (1 1/16 miles on turf, 1:50 p.m. ET)

#10 Quality Choice (12-1) won a pair of two-turn claiming races over the turf course at Aqueduct last fall, and while he’s faltered in a pair of subsequent runs on dirt, returning to turf should trigger a rebound from this stretch-running son of Quality Road.

His most formidable opposition could come from #11 Golden Spear (5-1), who put together a competitive string of Brisnet Speed ratings when facing tough open claiming company on the New York circuit last year. The aging 10-year-old #12 Ghost Hunter (9-2) can also contend, considering this former graded stakes winner nabbed half of his six starts last season for high-percentage trainer Jamie Ness.

We’ll round out our ticket with #1 Catch a Cab (7-2), runner-up over this class level and distance two starts back.

Race 3: Maiden special weight (6 1/2 furlongs, 2:23 p.m. ET)

#1 Primacy (2-5) has cracked the trifecta in her first two starts for trainer Chad Brown while posting Brisnet Speed ratings of 87 and 91, numbers that tower over Saturday’s field. She weakened going a mile last time out, and should appreciate the cutback to 6 1/2 furlongs, stamping this $240,000 auction purchase as a standout single to close out the Pick 3.

Race 1, $5 Pick 3: 10 with 1,10,11,12 with 1 ($20)

Good luck!