Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Big Air can continue improving second off the claim
Aqueduct | Race 2 | Post Time 1:09 p.m. (ET)
I'll be interested to see what the bettors do with Heavenly Light (#3), who returns from a lengthy layoff dating back to last winter. She is going out for very sharp connections, but Brad Cox's runners tend to get bet in these situations and I wouldn't want to take too short a price on her. The presence of Flavien Prat will only attract more support her way, and she still has to prove that she has taken a step forward during the time away. She's also a horse that showed some hanging tendencies when last seen a year ago, and she has to get over that.
Sassafrassness (#1) is probably the horse to beat based on recent form, and can win this race if she merely runs back to the last effort. I don't love that she's run some of her fastest speed figures at Delaware Park, since form doesn't always translate away from that track. Yet she did show up with a strong effort here last time.
Linda Rice has a couple of runners in here. I'm not a big fan of recent Kentucky acquisition Brunch With Amy (#2), who appeared to have trouble getting this distance when she had tried it previously. I don't love the way her form tailed off when she left the Peter Eurton barn last fall, and I have some reservations as she makes her NYRA debut.
I much prefer Rice's other horse Big Air (#6), who is drawn well outside as a stalking type. You wanted to avoid the rail path at all costs on Thursday's card at Aqueduct, and this filly should get the right trip from her wide draw. She tailed off a bit into the fall when still in Jamie Ness's barn, but I thought she rebounded when first off the claim for Linda Rice last time. She chased outside and was clearly second behind a lightly raced winner who might have been above par for that level. Linda Rice has great statistics second off the claim, especially with horses that she owns. She is 23 for 87 (26%, $2.17 ROI) with that move, and 10 for 39 (26%, $2.97 ROI) in routes within that sample.