Another day of racing at Belmont and another day of races being moved off the turf. Races 1, 3, 6 and 10 will be run on the main track. The two stakes - The Floral Park, Race 8, and the Pebbles, Race 9 - remain on the turf courses, which are rated 'soft' (Widener) & 'yielding' (inner). 

The Floral Park has lost the two morning line favorites with both Lady Alexandra (running at Woodbine later today) and Lull scratching. The interesting longshot Rocky Policy has also been withdrawn. With the turf courses being less than firm for the entire meet I have been treading lightly in all races that have stayed on for the past few months, and that will not change today. I picked Jc's Shooting Star looking for a price in a race that was not short on speed before scratches, but much has obviously changed. She has really improved since beginning to concentrate on turf sprints at the end of last year, and her last race is best forgiven after she was eliminated by a horse going wrong in front of her on the turn, but she is an unknown over turf like this. 

In the Pebbles, I was interested in Goodthingstaketime, who was scratched, along with Cool Beans and Significant Form. I don't really need Got Stormy returning from an ill-timed layoff following a pair of easy wins that are dressed up by the easiest of trips, and will now side with Victorine, who ran well while trying a wide move into a moderate pace in the Sands Point last time. Souper Striking is also interesting stretching back out with tactical speed. If nothing else, we know that she handles ground that is significantly less than firm based on her win over a bog on Preakness weekend. 

There are plenty of scratches - found here; first post today is 12:30 ET.