Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Ruth will benefit from added distance in Busanda

Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 3:39 p.m. (ET)

Ramify (#3) figures to be among the shortest prices off her debut victory last month for Chad Brown. She was a bit green through the early stages of that race, but picked up the pace nicely around the far turn to rally for the victory. She hails from a strong Juddmonte female family, her second dam being the multiple Grade 1 winning router Sightseek. However, this filly is by Munnings, who isn’t exactly the strongest stamina influence. While she did win going a mile first time out, she got a strong pace to close into and wasn’t striding out in the late stages like a filly looking for more ground.

Running Away (#9) could vie for favoritism as she also exits a maiden win, which came in the third start of her career. It’s no surprise that she improved on the dirt, since this is the surface she’s bred to handle. Her 100 TimeformUS Speed Figure for that recent victory is the highest number in this field. Yet she got a very good trip in achieving that score, setting moderate early fractions while going unchallenged throughout. She’s getting more of a test here as she steps up and breaks from the outside post. Sharp Smile (#1) is another maiden winner to consider who has progressed nicely through her first three starts. Although she’s a daughter of Practical Joke, she has plenty of stamina on the bottom side of her pedigree, being out of a dam who was second in this very race.

My Sherrona (#7) is stepping up into stakes company while still a maiden in her third career start. She was run down by today’s rival Ramify last time out, but she arguably ran the better race that day. My Sherrona was pressing a fast and contested early pace and did well to put away her other speed rivals. She did get passed by Ramify late, but responded to the challenge and battled all the way to the wire. Between those two fillies, she looks like the one that’s better suited to this stretch-out around two turns, and she should be a better price.

My top pick is Ruth (#6). This Todd Pletcher trainee is a bit of a wild card as she moves up in class out of a slow debut victory at Gulfstream. She was well supported by the bettors that day and delivered, but not before giving her backers a bit of a scare. She broke well and was racing forwardly early before losing position past the half-mile pole. She appeared to be struggling on the turn, but her stamina kicked in late and she was able to mow down the leaders in a convincing score. The runner-up did win her next start, but it still wasn’t as strong a race as others in here exit. I still think Ruth has upside stretching out to this 9-furlong distance. She’s a full-sister to route specialist Mopotism, and she’s got a large frame and long stride, suggesting that she will want every bit of this added ground. The slow debut speed figure should ensure a fair price.