Here's the current draft of my notes for today's six graded stakes races at Belmont, with preliminary grades and a comment on each runner.
Three early scratches in the stakes, one of them crucial: Custom For Carlos, who would have been favored in the True North. (The other two are longshots Strasbourg in the True North and Hot Trip from the Acorn.) I'm going to need to rethink that race now and probably elevate some others from their current grades.
Just a few spots of overnight rain and now a sunny morning with temperatures already nearing 80. The latest forecasts are mostly sunny until 3 p.m., with "isolated" t-storms thereafter.
Time to go to the races. Enjoy yourself.