Early thoughts on Belmont Saturday Card

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I don't know how I will resist my urge to play longshot Minister's Joy in the Manhatten.

He's been on my watch list ever since he lost a little allowance race on the turf at Calder a few years---it wasn't the toughest of fields even for that level at Calder---but I thought he was off the charts in defeat, for that class level.

I've always thought you might see the best from him in fast paced, 10 furlong turf race---and I expect him to trip out, and hopefully he's good enough to win or run 2nd. I've certainly chased him in spots he didn't fit as well in from a race-shape standpoint.

The two name horses in this race have some questions they need to address...and the two other good ones might be overbet...

* English Channel flopped in Dubai last out.

* Sky Conqueror is legit--and will be tough--but he's never run outside of Toronto or Kentucky...and the time to get the value on him was probably last out.

* Better Talk Now didn't pass his rabbit until a few jumps before the wire last time out.

* Like with SC, Cosmonaut is legit, and should factor into the outcome, but he might not offer as much value as you'd like to get.

I know my case for MJ might be pretty flimsy, and I look like I'm just reaching for a longshot---and I'll admit that the horse has been on my radar for a real long time---but I think he's one of a just a few horses, in the stakes, on the Belmont undercard---whom I believe really has a decent longshot look.