Horse Racing Tips: Four best bets at Belmont Park today from Timeform

6.15pm First Dawn

First Dawn hasn’t finished outside the top three since March of last year, and this could be a good opportunity for her to belatedly regain the winning thread. She was no match for a runaway winner at Aqueduct last time, but this looks an easier task, and she makes plenty of appeal on these terms. Smiles From Sadie and Our Ticket are others likely to be on the premises.

7.55pm Dancers For Token

Dancers For Token needs a couple of these to come out to get a place in this contest, but should that happen he ought to take plenty of stopping. His recent efforts at Aqueduct read well in the context of this race and he looks the one to get on board with. Irad Ortiz Jr may be able to coax a bit more out of Aintitfunkynow, making him the chief threat.

9.32pm Le General

This represents a significant drop in grade for Le General, who has been posting respectable efforts against much classier opposition of late. Trainer Michelle Nevin has a decent record with horses after a layoff, so Le General gets the vote ahead of Bears Mafia and Northern Haze, both of whom are having their first run for a new stable.

10.36pm Sadler’s Joy

Top-class performer and multiple-time winner Sadler’s Joy immediately stands out in this contest. The Thomas Albertrani charge is used to contesting much bigger prizes than this, having racked up over $2m in prize money during his career, so he gets the vote to open his season with a victory. This is by no means a sub-standard renewal of this race however, with Rocketry and dual Group 1 winner Channel Maker both major players.