Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Handsome Cat should get right pace setup

Aqueduct | Race 7 | Post Time 3:47 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs | Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up

Life Changer (#9) is obviously the horse to beat after hitting the board in his last three attempts at this level. He was arguably best last time when splitting horses in the lane and just missed getting past winner Reggae Music Man. However, the form of that race wasn’t flattered when the winner came back to run poorly in his subsequent start. I also have some doubts about the quality of a few other races he exits, and I tend to think this spot is a bit deeper. He’s surely a contender, but I don’t feel the need to default to him at a short price.

Bezos (#8) arguably put forth the best last race of anyone in this field when he finished fourth in the Gravesend. He’s been steadily improving since the claim for just $16k by Chandradat Goberdhan and will be tough for this field to handle if he repeats that 114 TimeformUS Speed Figure. I don’t fully trust him, but he figures to be a fair price once again.

David Jacobson has entered two in here, of which Cees Get Degrees (#2) could attract more support. Yet he may find it difficult to win this race with a speedy rival like Bezos in the field. I actually see plenty of speed signed on here, so I’m much more inclined to consider Jacobson’s other runner.

HANDSOME CAT (#1) will benefit from any pace that develops up front. He’s not a plodder by any means, but he does have the ability to close into a quick pace, and many others in this field aren’t as comfortable using that style. I thought he might have been able to win at this level two back if Javier Castellano had been able to get him off the rail in the stretch. Then last time he never gave up when just missing the place, battling on between horses behind a dominant winner. Both of those races came over wet tracks and he may be more comfortable on fast going. Jacobson’s horses have been running well lately, and this one should be a fair price with the apprentice named to ride.

THE PLAY

WIN: #1 Handsome Cat, at 4-1 or greater
USE: 8,9