Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Better Humor Me looks like controlling speed

Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 4:08 p.m. (ET)

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I’m not trying to beat likely favorite Better Humor Me (#9), who just seems to fit this spot very well. She outran her odds on debut at Saratoga, staying on gamely for fourth after chasing the pace. She then displayed improved speed to win her second start, always finding more once she hit the front end. She took money in her first attempt against winners last time and was outrun to the lead before chasing inside on the turn. She was finishing with determination late, but had to settle for third. She runs like a horse that may be finding six furlongs a bit too short for her as she’s the type who wants to be forward but doesn’t necessarily possess the best gate speed. She always responds when her riders ask her, and often seems like she’s finishing with more left to give. Therefore, I think she’s going to relish the stretch-out to seven furlongs. She’s certainly bred to go longer, being out of a half-sister to Blue Grass winner General Quarters. I also believe the addition of blinkers could benefit her, since she seems to run in spots.

The TimeformUS Pace Projector is predicting a fast pace, but it shows Better Humor Me on a clear early lead. Among those shown chasing her, none are true front-runners, with Dashing Della only showing speed in longer races. I expect that she’ll be able to get away with moderate fractions, and I think the others will have trouble catching her if she’s able to establish the front end.

I much prefer her to Supers Lucky Lady (#7), who could take money based on her turf form. She obviously has some talent, but it feels like the connections are just experimenting in this spot. She ran much better on turf than she had trained on dirt, so I’m skeptical of her ability to handle this surface.

The horses that I want to use underneath my top pick are Clover Street (#6) and Harlan’s Bond (#10). Clover Street hasn’t really been a winning type, and her last two races since returning from a layoff have been disappointing. Yet she may not have appreciated being right down on the rail last time, and now she’s reunited with Trevor McCarthy, who rode her to her lone victory. Harlan’s Bond looks a little cheaper at first glance, but she’s never had a chance to sprint at this New York-bred allowance level, and her speed figures put her in the mix.