Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Ourdaydreaminggirl steps up against older rivals in the Ladies

Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 3:40 p.m. (ET)

Weigh the Risks (#1) will obviously beat this field if she repeats the 123 TimeformUS Speed Figure she achieved when romping to victory in the Go For Wand last month. However, she does have to prove that she can replicate that form going two turns, something she has never done successfully on the dirt. It's also fair to point out that her last victory was probably enhanced by the racetrack, as there appeared to be an inside speed bias on Dec. 13. It's not as if that's her only standout speed figure, but she does figure to be overbet on the perception that her last race makes her untouchable.

There is some speed in here to keep the favorite honest on the front end. Both longshots Low Country Magic (#2) and Sultry Lass (#5) figure to apply pressure early, and main rival Quietside (#7) is another likely to press the pace. Quietside is a newly turned 4-year-old who should continue moving forward, especially as she makes her third start off a layoff. Quietside was wide around both turns in the Comely last time out and stayed on well behind the talented Fully Subscribed. You have to respect anything that John Ortiz sends out on the NYRA circuit.

The horse I prefer from the Comely is Ourdaydreaminggirl (#3). While she did save more ground than Quietside in the early stages, there was not much pace ahead of her. She did well to close through the stretch in a race where no one was making up ground from the back. It's not the first time that she's run well around two turns. She just missed at a huge price in the Grade 1 Cotillion in September, and has generally been improving with racing ever since returning from a layoff last summer. I have fewer questions about her getting nine furlongs than I do for most in this field, and she figures to be a square price