Friday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Tough Love Torres can build on impressive debut
Belmont at the Big A | Race 8 | Post Time 4:43 p.m. (ET)
P Mutter Pickle (#6) could go favored in this New York-bred allowance/optional claimer as she returns from a freshening for Phil Antonacci. She was well meant on debut and delivered, drawing off to win by over eight lengths with a strong 91 TimeformUS Speed Figure. She got a favorable trip setting the pace inside over a track that was favoring rail runners. And she backed up that performance in her next start. While she did lose as the favorite, she got more pace pressure and did well to hold second to the classy Bernietakescharge. Now she’s drawn outside and looks like the controlling speed. I don’t think she’ll be much of a price with Irad Ortiz Jr. getting back aboard, but she’s the horse to beat.
Walk With Me (#1) didn’t run as fast as that rival in her first couple of starts, but she did overcome some adversity to finish second in a lucrative stallion series stakes. She subsequently was no match for top New York-bred filly My Mane Squeeze in the Maddie May when again getting mildly shuffled back in traffic on the turn. Yet her last race makes me wonder if she might be a filly that just doesn’t run the turns very well, since she got a good trip chasing in the clear and still lost momentum coming off the bend before rallying on belatedly. Now she adds blinkers, likely in an attempt to keep her focused for the entire race. She’s a threat if she can finally put it all together.
My top pick is Tough Love Torres (#5). This filly had a few things go wrong on debut and still was able to earn the victory. She broke slowly, putting herself in last out of the gate. From there she tried to advance down the backstretch but had to steady slightly when she lost her path racing in traffic. She settled inside and didn’t look like she was in a position to mount a rally, even at the quarter pole. Yet she somehow found another gear when Isaac Castillo asked for her best and she flew by the leaders late. She only got a 79 TimeformUS Speed Figure, but I’m hopeful that she can run faster if able to put forth a more professional effort this time. Mike Maker is five for 18 (28%, $1.94 ROI) with last-out maiden winners making their second starts in dirt sprints over five years, so he can win with these types.