Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Brown Suga Babe cuts back to best distance

Aqueduct | Race 7 | Post Time 3:10 p.m. (ET)

Bells Beach (#2) may vie for favoritism as she goes out for the popular Chad Brown barn. She ran pretty well to break her maiden going this distance in her second career start at Churchill Downs earlier last year before going to the sidelines following a disappointing effort in the Wilton. She was bet down to a short price in her return last time, but proved no match for stablemate Weigh the Risks and I didn’t love the way she finished after getting a good trip. Now she’s drawn inside while facing a much more competitive field at a short price.

I am a little more afraid of the returning Prides Crossing (#5), who was pretty impressive on debut at Churchill back in May. She wasn’t beating the strongest field that day, but she did score in convincing fashion. This $1.3 million yearling purchase has some turf pedigree on the dam’s side, but the second dam was a Frizette winner, and this filly clearly handled dirt on debut. She makes her first start off a trainer switch to William Walden, who does well with this move. She appears to be working well, going slightly better than older allowance type Clear the Air in her most recent drill at Turfway.

Another lightly raced filly who may attract some support is Points Is Points (#4), who was no factor when she tried this level on Dec. 27. Yet that was a day that featured an extreme rail bias, and Points Is Points was never on the inside. She’s better than that, but I still have some questions about her overall ability after she beat a field of suspect quality on debut.

I’m most interested in a couple of fillies who are actually turning back in distance after running well at this level on Dec. 6. Fade to Grey (#11) might find this one-turn mile trip to be a bit short for her, having run the two best races of her career at 9 furlongs. She was arguably best last time when losing a narrow decision after going wide on the turns and making a premature move to take over. I’m a little concerned she will get outrun early here, but there is pace in the race and the outside post position should suit her.

My top pick is Brown Suga Babe (#7), who had to settle for third behind Fade to Grey last time. She didn’t get the most comfortable trip that day, rated into a stalking position early before getting shuffled back in traffic past the half-mile pole. She got pushed wider on the far turn, and was finishing gamely once she wheeled out into the clear for the stretch drive. She’s now tried the 9 furlongs twice, and it’s clear to me that she’s better at this one-turn mile distance. Jamie Ness does well with his NYRA starters at the allowance level, and this filly appears to be in the best form of her career right now.