Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Get a Job stretches out second off a layoff

Saratoga | Race 9 | Post Time 5:44 p.m. (ET)

With this race coming off the turf, the focus shifts to the quartet of main-track-only entrants. Whittington Park (#13) is likely to take money on the basis of his victory at this level two back. He did get a strong pace ahead of him that day, something he may not receive here. He was more forwardly placed in a smaller field, off-the-turf affair at this configuration last time and lacked that same late punch. He's obviously a major player, but I didn't want to settle for a short price on him

I'm also mildly against Mighty Atlas (#14), who makes his first start off the claim for a barn that doesn't win much at this meet. If I'm going to take a trainer who concentrates more on Aqueduct, I'd rather upgrade a horse like Rock the Weekend (#12), who runs well over wet tracks and put forth an effort two back that gives him a real chance in a spot like this.

My top pick is Get a Job (#11), who ships back to New York for Steve Asmussen. This horse broke his maiden over this track and distance last year and followed that up with some nice efforts at Aqueduct, earning a set of speed figure that make him one of the horses to beat. He obviously tailed off against open company at Oaklawn, but I don't want to be too hard on him for those races. He has since been freshened, and he got in a good prep going shorter at Lone Star last time. He probably would have won that race if he hadn't gotten bottled up in traffic until mid-stretch. He also possesses some of the best tactical speed in the race, which is effective going this distance.