Belmont Park Picks for October 29, 2026: turf races with a lot of twists

Today's Belmont Park turf races have enough twists to make the obvious answers earn their keep.

My Belmont Park picks today for Thursday, October 29, 2026, center on the juvenile turf test in Race 5 and the older sprinters in Race 7, two very different arguments about who gets the right trip. Bounce Back brings the most persuasive body of juvenile form, while Money Makes Money has already shown the tactical flexibility that can matter when a turf sprint refuses to become a cavalry charge. Mo Curls offers an opening-race rebound angle after a race that deserves forgiving, and the closing turf maiden puts a promising but unfinished youngster in Nystateofmind against plenty of less-exposed opposition. If you're ready to get involved, place your horse-racing bets at BetOnline. These picks were made before scratches and race-day changes.

Race 1: Mo Curls Gets Another Chance

My Pick: #7 Mo Curls (Morning line: 5-2)

Mo Curls gets one more chance. That dreadful Finger Lakes finish is a poor guide for this state-bred maiden claimer, given the difficult trip and the rider backing off on the last turn. His earlier dirt routes offer something much more useful, particularly the Saratoga second that showed he could keep going around a mile without needing an entirely different sort of race to make him competitive. The likely trip is behind the first wave rather than a charge straight to the front, which means Jose Lezcano needs to keep him engaged and within reach if the leaders are allowed to conserve their energy. Forgiving a race isn't the same as handing out a graduation certificate: this is still a maiden who has accumulated several seconds, and I want to see him actually pass the horse that matters when the race gets serious.

My alternative: #6 D C Boy's (Morning line: 2-1) can get first run from a closer stalking position, and his Saratoga dirt third behind Mo Curls gives him a direct connection to the same useful race. The return from a longer turf assignment helps explain the appeal of this setup, although his latest empty finish leaves him with his own question to answer in the stretch.

Race 2: Calvin's Ride Has More Than One Gear

My Pick: #3 Calvin's Ride (Morning line: 7-2)

Calvin's Ride has the right blend of current form and tactical speed for this turf allowance, with a decisive Presque Isle win supplying the recent confidence and his Saratoga route second supplying the more relevant grass evidence. That distinction matters, because a sharp synthetic sprint alone wouldn't persuade me to assume he can carry the same effectiveness around this longer turf assignment against horses comfortable doing exactly that. Manny Franco should have the option to sit just behind the leaders and choose when to apply pressure, rather than spending the opening stages trying to recover ground or waiting for a collapse that may never arrive. The question is whether he can finish that trip as strongly on grass as he did on the synthetic surface, but the Saratoga effort gives the selection a real foundation instead of a surface-switch guessing game.

My alternative: #8 Sammy C Note (Morning line: 3-1) knows this sort of turf route and can put himself in the fight before the deeper runners start moving. Five runner-up finishes underline both the appeal and the frustration: he's capable of getting the right trip and still leaving someone else to finish the job, so the final stages remain the part that makes me hesitate.

Race 3: Golden Ice Needs the Front Group to Work

My Pick: #5 Golden Ice (Morning line: 6-1)

I'll take Golden Ice arriving late. This dirt route has several horses who should be in front of him early, but being the first to ask for a big effort isn't always an advantage. His latest Parx fourth supplies usable recent route form, but the mild late bid also tells the truth about the assignment: he needs a race to run at rather than a leader enjoying an afternoon stroll. With several runners comfortable tracking or pressing, there's a plausible path for him to save his effort until the front group begins asking each other questions, then make one sustained move instead of several little ones. The danger is plain enough, because some of his recent late gains have come past stopping rivals, and a tidy trip won't be sufficient if nobody ahead of him has spent much energy.

My alternative: #1 Quick to Accuse (Morning line: 8-5) has the positional advantage to make Golden Ice's life difficult if he can travel comfortably just behind the early action. His older form keeps him relevant, but the contact in his latest Saratoga start doesn't excuse the weakening that followed; the horse has to show a better finish, rather than simply wear his reputation into the winner's circle.

Race 4: Magnum's Microbrst Must Find a Sharper Finish

My Pick: #6 Magnum's Microbrst (Morning line: 9-2)

Magnum's Microbrst gets a narrow nod in a genuine three-way toss-up, with her established turf ability making her interesting even though this shorter assignment asks a different question from the routes on her page. The Aqueduct second in the spring is a useful reminder that she can compete on grass, and a stalking trip could let Kendrick Carmouche bring her into the race before the runners farther back have everything organized. Her recent public preparation supplies a base for the return, but I won't mistake that for proof that a mare coming off a long absence will suddenly have the sharper sprint finish she needs. The six-furlong pace can catch her flat-footed if she's slow into stride, and the selection is a preference in a crowded argument rather than a horse I'd expect to make this look easy.

My alternative: #9 Saint Tropez (Morning line: 6-1) offers the more obvious forward trip, with a Saratoga turf-sprint third giving her something directly relevant to this shorter race. She weakened over the longer distance last time and can benefit from having less ground to cover, provided she doesn't use that tactical speed to get herself caught in an unnecessarily expensive fight early.

Race 5: Bounce Back Is the Clearest Opinion

My Pick: #3 Bounce Back (Morning line: 9-5)

Bounce Back is my strongest opinion on the card because she has already put together a consistent run of turf efforts, rather than asking readers to imagine what she might be able to do. Her recent Belmont second fits neatly with the useful Woodbine form, and the seven-furlong assignment gives her a chance to bring that experience to bear without having to finish another full route. Antonio Fresu will probably be working from behind the main pace, so an alert beginning and an uninterrupted move matter more than trying to force her into a role she hasn't shown. The gate is the part that can turn a sensible opinion into a long afternoon, with a slow start in one outing and loading reluctance in another giving her a habit she still needs to tidy up. A dozen juvenile fillies also leave plenty of room for traffic or an unfamiliar rival to improve, which is why I want a clean trip before expecting her established form to settle the argument.

My alternative: #5 Attachment (Morning line: 8-1) can make the race uncomfortable for the selection by getting involved earlier, especially if Bounce Back is left with too much ground to make up. Her latest route began with a bobble and ended after she had shown the way and weakened; the shorter trip gives her a credible chance to carry that speed farther into the finish.

Race 6: Dry Drastic Can Make Position Count

My Pick: #9 Dry Drastic (Morning line: 5-2)

Dry Drastic can make her early speed count in this juvenile maiden claimer, and her two starts give her something practical to use against rivals still learning how a race is supposed to unfold. She showed the way in her debut before settling for second, then produced a better speed figure while finishing third last time, so there is useful experience here without pretending that the winning move has already arrived. From the outside draw, Kendrick Carmouche needs to establish a workable position without spending the whole opening quarter trying to clear, because pressing too hard would simply recreate the late weakness already visible in her form. A controlled trip close to the action is the attraction, while the unanswered question is whether she can save enough for the final furlong when another filly comes alongside and asks her to respond.

My alternative: #2 Risky Mission (Morning line: 7-2) can sit behind the pace and make her move after the quicker runners have done some of the work, with her willing debut second supplying the positive case. The latest wide, empty effort is harder to admire, but a more economical trip would give her a different route through this race than the selection's more forward assignment.

Race 7: Money Makes Money Can Win Without a Meltdown

My Pick: #1 Money Makes Money (Morning line: 5-1)

Money Makes Money gives Carmouche choices. This turf sprint could be decided by getting into the right lane at the right moment, rather than simply by finding the fastest early horse. His latest Saratoga third came after a wide journey into the stretch, while the earlier win at this distance showed he could sit closer, stay involved and finish a much more tactical sort of race. That gives Kendrick Carmouche options from the inside draw, although he still has to avoid getting trapped behind a tiring runner when the field starts to fan out and the openings become precious. The preference isn't built around everybody else falling apart: a patient spot behind the first flight can work, but losing touch in a comfortable early pace would leave even a willing finisher with too much to do.

My alternative: #7 Run Curtis Run (Morning line: 4-1) returns to a sprint distance that fits better than his latest longer race, and the earlier Saratoga effort at this trip keeps the rebound case alive. There is no need to turn the last defeat into a hard-luck story, though; he still has to show that the shorter assignment brings back a stronger finish instead of merely producing a neater-looking trip.

Race 8: Nystateofmind Has a Route Foundation

My Pick: #5 Nystateofmind (Morning line: 4-1)

Nystateofmind already has a turf route under his belt. His Saratoga third supplies useful experience against rivals facing their own questions about distance, racing room or simply racing at all. He was involved near the front in that grass race, which gives Javier Castellano a reason to seek a stalking position within reach of the leaders rather than leave the colt dependent on a furious late rescue. The recorded contact in that outing adds context, but the stronger argument is that he has already stayed involved around a turf route and doesn't need a completely unfamiliar trip to make his case. The time away and a full field of developing youngsters keep this from feeling settled, and he still has to show that another stretch battle ends with him going past the leader rather than holding a supporting role.

My alternative: #9 Jordan the Caddy (Morning line: 3-1) has a reasonable improvement story after a turf-sprint debut that included contact and a steadying incident, with a more comfortable passage offering an obvious thing to put right. Stretching out introduces a new demand at the same time, so Linda Rice's colt is an interesting alternative rather than a horse whose extra distance can simply be assumed to solve everything.

My Bottom Line: Turf Form Has to Go Along With the Right Trip

Bounce Back in Race 5 is the clearest opinion, with a run of dependable grass efforts giving her something substantial to bring to a field still sorting itself out. Mo Curls gets another chance in Race 1 because the latest race was a poor measure of his ability, while Money Makes Money's tactical versatility makes him the selection in Race 7. Use the Belmont Park entries page to work through the card yourself, and visit the horse racing picks today hub for more racing opinions. Our track-bias tool can help you assess running-style and post trends, while jockey statistics and trainer statistics give you a place to research the connections behind your own opinions. If you're ready to play, bet the races at BetOnline.