Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Quidura projects to get a perfect setup in the New York

Belmont | Race 9 | Post Time 5:14 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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Sea Calisi (#6) is likely to go favored, but I think she’s beatable. She got the jump on her main rival, Suffused (#2), last time out in the Sheepshead Bay as that rival was stuck in traffic at a key juncture towards the top of the stretch. Furthermore, Sea Calisi may be better on softer turf courses, and she’s going to encounter very firm going here. Dacita (#8) beat her stablemate to win this race last year, and appears to be back in top form after a game try in the Beaugay last time when just missing to another of today’s rivals, Hawksmoor. They were running over a turf course that was softer than Dacita prefers, and I think we’ll se a better effort out of her this time.

They all must be used, but the runner that intrigues me most is the lightly raced QUIDURA (#1). This filly burst onto the scene late last year with two strong wins, the second of which came at the hands of top fillies Linda and My Impression in a tough running of the Valley View at Keeneland. Her return in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley this spring, in which she was third to two of the best turf mares in the country – Dickinson and Lady Eli – suggests that she may have taken another step forward this year. I like the stretch-out in distance given her pedigree, and she’s drawn perfectly down inside. Her tactical speed should give her the jump on her main rivals, and she projects to work out a great trip.

THE PLAY

Win: 1

Exacta Key Box: 1 with 2,5,6,8

Trifecta: 1 with 2,6,8 with 2,4,5,6,8