Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Studlydoright deserves another chance at a mile in Nashua
Belmont at the Big A | Race 2 | Post Time 11:51 p.m. (ET)
The Nashua only drew five entrants but it’s a pretty competitive race among four of those, only the filly on the rail being tough to support.
It’s Hammertime (#4) has to be regarded as the horse to beat as he seeks to extend his unbeaten record. All of his prior victories have come at Delaware Park, but he did face a quality rival in fellow Nashua entrant Tony Eclipse (#2) last time out in the Rocky Run. Both of these horses had good trips, but It’s Hammertime found just a little more through the late stages. Tony Eclipse needs to take a step forward, but he is going out for top connections and possesses dangerous speed from the inside. I think both of these horses are contenders, but I’m not looking to take a short price on either one.
I also have some reservations about Vekoma Rides (#5), who will attempt to go the mile again after fading in upper stretch of the Champagne. That was an ambitious spot for a horse who had just won his debut 3 weeks earlier, and he didn’t run that badly in settling for fifth. I just wonder if he’s truly a horse who wants to go a mile or if he’s ultimately going to be best in shorter races, as his debut effort suggested.
My top pick is Studlydoright (#3), who is attempting to get back to the winner’s circle for the first time since the Tremont. He looked like a horse that was still full of potential in that closing victory over a sprint distance, but he failed to progress in his next few starts. He was just facing a field that was too tough for him in the Hopeful, but was also done no favors by his jockey, who rode him right into traffic in mid-stretch, causing him to steady just as he was staying on. I was expecting better of him when he stretched out to a mile last time at Laurel, but he did get a very wide trip that day. Now he’s adding blinkers with another chance to prove he wants to go this far. This son of Nyquist has a long stride and looks like a horse who wants route distances. I’m giving him one more chance at what figures to be a fair price.