Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Rough Tough Love has upside in second start

Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 2:18 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs | Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up

Tap N Glo (#7) owns the field's best speed figures, which she earned last summer at Saratoga. She put in a solid effort going today's distance on July 25, but she wasn’t facing the toughest field that day. She regressed subsequently when meeting a tougher field and has now been off for five months. This filly returns for Linda Rice, whose barn has been a little cold lately. While she’s obviously a player, she's not the kind of horse I’d want to bet as the possible favorite.

Exxaltress (#5) could also take some money for Chad Brown. There was some buzz about this filly prior to her Dec. 30 debut, as she had worked favorably ahead of that start. She showed excellent early speed, but came under pressure on the turn and had no answer late. Dec. 30 was a day that favored speed types, but perhaps she didn’t care for the sloppy track. Now she takes the blinkers off for her second start, so perhaps she won't be as aggressively handled.

Cupids Girl (#6) was one that I liked quite a bit in her second start on Jan. 13, but she was competing on a day when the rail was a significant advantage. She actually was inside for the first part of the race, but angled off the rail at the quarter pole. I thought last time was a favorable spot because the field was weak, and there are more interesting alternatives here.

My top pick is ROUGH TOUGH LOVE (#4). This grey filly debuted in the same race as Cupids Girl, and took quite a bit of money as part of an entry. She showed early speed outside of eventual winner Send for Me, but couldn’t keep pace with that rival at the quarter pole and faded badly through the stretch. That was a pretty strong field for the level and now she comes back in what appears to be a softer spot. Rob Atras doesn’t have great stats in general with maidens, but this filly had worked well prior to her debut and deserves another chance, especially if she's a square price.

THE PLAY

Win: 4

Exacta Key Box: 4 with 3,5,6,7

Trifecta: 4 with 5,6 with 3,5,6,7