Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: General Banker cuts back to one turn for Thunder Rumble
Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 3:38 p.m. (ET)
The two likely favorites in the Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Series faced off in a similar type of race last April when Antonio of Venice (#6) led gate to wire. That was a career-best performance, and I never like when horses reach their best form and then go to the shelf. He did have a reported excuse for the missed time, as he came down with a foot issue over the summer. He has been working very well for his return from the layoff for Rudy Rodriguez, who usually doesn’t ask his horses for that much speed in the mornings. He also figures to have a pace advantage here, as the TimeformUS Pace Projector depicts him on a clear lead in a situation favoring the front-runner. There are obviously factors working in his favor, but he still has to prove that he is ready to return with a top effort.
Doc Sullivan (#3) checked in second behind Antonio of Venice when they met in that New York Stallion Series event in April, but he appears to have improved since then. He convincingly won the Mike Lee going this distance at Saratoga, and then was beaten by some pretty nice rivals in his subsequent starts. He gave the more accomplished Pandagate all that he could handle in a pair of routes over the summer, and then wasn’t even disgraced against some of the best 3-year-olds in the country in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. He didn’t get the savviest ride that day, when he was dragged back to last early in a race lacking pace, but he figures to get handled more aggressively this time with Javier Castellano returning to the saddle.
My top pick is General Banker (#8), who may lack the upside of the two aforementioned 3-year-olds, but has been running TimeformUS Speed Figures that are just as fast, if not a tad higher, than each of them. He really seems to have turned a corner since returning from a layoff this summer at Saratoga. He ran especially well to close for third in a very tough open allowance race going this distance in September, and then beat similar company over a one-turn mile next time. I can forgive his fifth-place finish in the Empire Classic last time since he got a wide trip and nine furlongs is probably too far for him anyway. I like him cutting back, and he drew well outside, which should help him stay in contact with the leaders early.