Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Mister J T capable of better back with Levine
Aqueduct | Race 6 | Post Time 2:36 p.m. (ET)
Commerce Comet (#8) figures to be a clear favorite in this starter allowance affair as he seeks to make it 2-for-2 in the Rick Dutrow barn. This gelding had really come to hand for Ed Barker this fall, earning a career-best 104 TimeformUS Speed Figure for his victory against $12,500 claimers on Sep. 21. He was then confidently moved up to the $32k level, but was deprived of his best chance when shuffled out of position early in the race. He did well to recover, rallying to just miss third. Claimed out of that spot by Rick Dutrow, he subsequently proved that he belonged at that level, beating a strong field in November, which included next-out winner Secret Rules. He’s now moving up again to face starter allowance company, but he’s drawn well outside, and the Rick Dutrow stable has been winning at a high percentage since this meet began.
I prefer that runner to main rival He’s in Charge (#4), who ships in from Pennsylvania for Jamie Ness. He earned a flashy speed figure for that recent triumph at Penn National, but he was beating up on weaker rivals that day, and he’s not exactly a formidable presence in this spot based on his prior form. Jamie Ness has done well at this meet, especially with horses like this racing in protected spots, but I need to see this horse put together back-to-back competitive efforts before I can take him.
Chuck Willis (#2) has put together a string of dirt efforts that certainly leave something to desired. However, he does possess dangerous early speed in a race where the TimeformUS Pace Projector predicts he’ll be leading in a scenario that favors frontrunners. He has been meeting tougher optional claiming company out of town, and may appreciate this slight class relief. He’s hard to trust, but the price should compensate.
My top pick is Mister J T (#7). This 6-year-old gelding didn’t run that much worse than likely favorite Commerce Comet when they met on Oct. 19, as he got squeezed back soon after the start and was forced to rally from farther back in the pack than he prefers. He rebounded with a victory against weaker company last time, and now moves up in class. I find it interesting that he’s claimed back by Bruce Levine, who had him for one start in Oct. 2023. That lone race for Levine was arguably the most impressive performance of Mister J T’s career, as he traveled strongly throughout and had to bull his way out in mid-stretch, Irad Ortiz trying to prevent him from running up on heels, before pulling away to an impressive score under wraps. He earned a career-best 104 TimeformUS Speed Figure for that effort. He’s now back in top form and will be dangerous here if he can produce something similar returning to Levine’s barn.