Monday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Gift Box may be vulnerable to Doyouknowsomething

Belmont Park | Race 7 | Post Time 4:13 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up now

Can you trust Gift Box (#6) as the favorite in this race? Sure, 6 1/2 furlongs may have been a little too short for him last time, but I really didn’t like what I saw from him. He was a lukewarm favorite, at best, for the duration of the wagering and then didn’t pick up his feet at any point during the running. I know he likely will step forward with the stretch-out, and his races from last year would beat this field, but I’m still a little skeptical.

I think this race is a bit more wide-open than it seems at first glance, so I’m taking a shot with DOYOUKNOWSOMETHING (#2).

This horse’s last race is not as bad as it seems since he was chasing a fast pace and broke open the race around the turn. That event was dominated by closers late, and Doyouknowsomething hung in gamely until the late stages. This time, the Pace Projector is predicting a situation favoring runners on or near the lead. Becker’s Galaxy figures to take early command, but Doyouknowsomething should be his closest early pursuer. This horse has run plenty of races that would give him a big chance here, and his price is likely to drift up given the likelihood of Gift Box going off as an overwhelming favorite.

THE PLAY

Win: 2

Exacta box: 2, 6

Trifecta: 2 with 3, 5, 6 with 1, 3, 5, 6