Litfin's preview: Late start to Friday pick six

Sleep in

A reminder that first post is 3 p.m. Eastern, as it will be for each of the remaining Friday programs at the meet.

When the opener finally rolls around, it will be the rubber match between E Z Passer and Heir to Dare, who have taken turns beating each other recently. The edge is accorded to Heir to Dare, who is third back from a freshening and may be sitting on an improved effort after a Beyer pair-up a few lengths off her better efforts.

$89,503 pick six carryover

There would have been one winning ticket had Rose Quartz won Thursday’s ninth race, but she settled for second to fellow maiden special-weight dropper Lavender Road ($11.20) in the $40,000 maiden claimer, triggering a two-day carryover in the pick six.

In an eerie twist, Lavender Road’s half-sister, Roses for Romney, had to be put down after clipping heels and falling in the stretch of Wednesday’s eighth race.

Bettors will have ample time to study up, as the first leg (race 4) isn’t until 4:33 p.m.

The sequence is 8-7-8-8-9-10 pending scratches, and as was the case Thursday, there are no obvious standalone favorites. At 2-1, the shortest priced choices on the morning line are Bright Face (race 6) and Copper Core (race 9).

Loaded baby race?

Two-year-old fillies dash five furlongs in race 3, which may prove to be a key race going forward.

On paper, Angela Renee and High Dollar Woman both seem likely to attract considerable support.

Angela Renee, a Todd Pletcher-trained homebred, is a full sister to To Honor and Serve, who earned $1.8 million, highlighted by wins in the 2011 Cigar Mile and the 2012 Woodward. As a 2-year-old, he was a second-out maiden winner at Belmont’s 2010 fall meet, earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

High Dollar Woman is by freshman the sire Super Saver and at $675,000 was the second highest priced filly sold at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. select sale after working a quarter-mile in 21 seconds flat.

Among several others who bear watching is Sunday Sonnet, whose half-sister, Pianist, won the Athenia and Gallorette, a pair of Grade 3 turf stakes.

Fabulous Kid tries turf

Fabulous Kid, who vied for the early lead with Tonalist in the Peter Pan Stakes after being relocated to New York, makes his second start for Jimmy Toner and switches to the turf in race 8, a $77,000 first-level allowance at seven furlongs on the Widener course.

Fabulous Kid will add blinkers, and so will the Grade 3-placed Harpoon, who wore the hood twice on dirt last fall, including a runner-up finish to eventual Nashua and Holy Bull winner Cairo Prince.

Based on recent grass form, the one to beat is J to the Croft, who comes off two good efforts at the meet while showing versatility in terms of running style. After leading to the final yards at 11-1 May 15, he was compromised by a slow pace June 8 against Tourist, who was loose on the lead and ran the last quarter-mile in a blazing 22.49 seconds.

Horse to watch

BOLD FOREST
Trainer: Pat Quick
Last race: June 26, 6th
Finish: 6th by 8
Beyer: 58

Up close early but shuffled back to next to last behind a tiring speed horse as a slow pace developed in second start back from a layoff.