Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Mini P is well spotted for his U.S. debut
Belmont Park | Race 3 | Post Time 2:34 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
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Course Correction (#2) is likely to go favored here for Chad Brown despite losing as the favorite in two consecutive starts. This colt really had no excuse to lose back on May 6, when he got a good ground-saving trip and had no answer once the closers made their moves in the lane. He didn’t fare much better last time on July 30, as he again got into a contending position but had no kick over the final furlong. I think this colt is a little overrated, and I’m against him here.
I prefer Rhode Island (#6), who beat Course Correction last time they met on May 6. This horse needed his first couple of races at Gulfstream, but he really put things together when stretched out to today’s 10-furlong distance. The problem is that he hasn’t been seen for more than four months, and it’s never a good sign to see connections stop on a runner who was seemingly in good form.
I’m taking a shot against both of these colts with MINI P (#7). This Irish-bred runner makes his first start in this country after a pair of efforts in England to start his career. He actually ran very well in his career debut at Newbury. He was reserved in the back half of a 16-horse field, well off the early lead. He made a strong stretch bid to challenge the leader in the lane but was turned away in the final sixteenth. The 97 Timeform Rating that he was assigned for that performance was an encouraging start to his career, and the Timeform Foreign Comments indicate that it was a strong effort. They got a little too ambitious in trying a Group 3 off that effort, and the horse reacted badly. Now he makes his U.S. debut for Christophe Clement, who can certainly prepare a foreign shipper to win in this country. I thought he worked very well over the dirt surface in his drill on Sept. 15, and I wouldn’t be shocked to discover that this colt is just better than his American rivals.
THE PLAY
Win: 7
Exacta Key Box: 7 with 2,5,6
Trifecta: 7 with 2,6 with 2,4,5,6