ELMONT, N.Y. – A competitive renewal of the Manila Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf is part of a tricky pick-six sequence that has a $138,215 carryover awaiting horseplayers Friday as Belmont Park kicks off its final three-day stretch of racing for 2023. Previously run as a $100,000 listed stakes, the Manila was granted Grade 3 status beginning this year and received a purse bump to $250,000. The one-mile turf race was rewarded with a strong field. Major Dude is a three-time graded stakes winner on turf, including a three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 2 Penn Mile on June 2. In that race, Major Dude was tracking the pace from second while on the inside under Irad Ortiz Jr. Entering the far turn, he got shuffled back to fourth, but quickly re-engaged when swung three wide and he wore down Behind Enemy Lines in the stretch. Prior to that, he finished a no-excuse, close third behind Webslinger and Far Bridge in the Grade 2 American Turf going 1 1/16 miles on Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Before that race, Major Dude finished second behind Two Phil’s in the Jeff Ruby Steaks. Two Phil’s came back to run second in the Kentucky Derby and win the Ohio Derby before being retired. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Major Dude from post 5 for Todd Pletcher, who won this race last year with Annapolis. Nagirroc, trained by Graham Motion, is coming off a good-looking 3 1/2-length victory in the James Murphy Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness Day. It was his first race in blinkers and, despite breaking from post 9, Nagirroc received a beautiful ground-saving trip from Flavien Prat, who only used his stick once to get Nagirroc home. That made Nagirroc one of three next-out stakes winners from the Grade 2 Transylvania Stakes on April 7 at Keeneland, where he finished second to a loose-on-the-lead Mo Stash. Prat, coming off a five-win Tuesday at Belmont, has the call on Nagirroc from post 4. Talk of the Nation was upset as the 1-5 favorite in the Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park on June 3. That was Talk of the Nation’s first start off an unscheduled 12-week layoff. Talk of the Nation was scratched during the post parade of the American Turf at Churchill when the on-track veterinarian felt the horse was off in a front leg following a momentary entanglement with a pony. McGaughey felt that jockey Paco Lopez may have moved too soon on Talk of the Nation in the Jersey Derby. McGaughey has Jose Ortiz to ride on Sunday. “He’s had a couple of really good works on the grass with Jose on him,” McGaughey said. Dreaming of Kona, coming off a win in the six-furlong Tom Ridge Stakes at Presque Isle Downs, projects to be the main speed of the Manila. :: Get Belmont Park Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the Clocker Team. Available every race day. Trainer Chad Brown has the uncoupled entry of Belouni and Activist Investing. Belouni won the Woodhaven at a mile before getting rank early and finishing last in the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge. “He was in the back of the pack and had some steering issues. I’ve never seen him do that,” Brown said. “We got him back on track working.” Activist Investing is making his first start since winning a maiden race last Oct.16 at Aqueduct. More Than Looks, coming off an allowance win at Ellis Park, and Armstrong, winner of a synthetic stakes at Gulfstream Park, complete the field. The Manila goes as race 9 on the 10-race card. Looking at the rest of the pick-6 sequence: Race 5: Twirling Vine, despite not changing leads, was gaining on the winner when second in his seasonal debut following an eight-month layoff. Thank You Jon, fourth in same race, had a troubled start. He was heavily bet in his debut last fall when involved in a speed duel. Seize the City has been gelded since a well-beaten second on May 20. Race 6: Paros was sharp in victory in his return to turf and seeks his third straight win in this seven-furlong allowance. Pine Knoll was second at 16-1 at this level for former Shug McGaughey assistant Robbie Medina. Senbei, a four-time dirt stakes winner, tries turf for first time here after scratching out of Sunday’s Stallion Stakes won by Dakota Gold, who has same owner as Senbei. Race 7: Wouldn’t fault anyone for singling Truly Quality, a runner-up in his first two starts. He got away slow in his debut when Irad Ortiz Jr. rode him at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Ortiz is back aboard Friday for trainer Jonathan Thomas. Fly Right is logical and Whenlovetakesover is a live longshot. Race 8: A lot of class-dropping in this $25,000 non-winners of two lifetime sprint. Moving Pictures gets blinkers and goes turf to dirt for Rudy Rodriguez, who is 2 for 11 the last three years with such moves. Makar, also dropping in class, goes second off the claim for Michelle Giangiulio. Devil’s Cay, claimed for $40,000 out of a non-productive race, drops to $25,000 going first time for Linda Rice. Race 10: Lots of hopes and dreams likely riding on Financial Advice, who comes out of a fifth-place finish behind Prerequisite and Highland Grace; the former came back to win the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge, the latter has come back to win two straight, including Monday’s Belmont finale. Deeper pockets are likely to use Diamond Status and Volatility. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.