Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Tuck Check improving for underrated barn

Belmont at the Big A | Race 5 | Post Time 2:24 p.m. (ET)

This starter allowance for fillies and mares on the turf is one of the most competitive races on the entire Saturday card. The main players appear to be pretty evenly matched, and it's tough to assess their relative form as they converge from a variety of class levels. Tour Jete (#2) seems most likely to go favored as she drops out of a tougher allowance/optional claimer where she raced for a $75k tag. Winner Immensitude is a stakes-quality rival, and this filly was hardly disgraced finishing fifth behind her. She ran on well despite never seeing the rail until the field turned into the stretch for the final time. She's now making her second start off the claim for Fernando Abreu, but he is 2 for his last 71 starters on the NYRA circuit.

Fantasy Performer (#7) traded decisions with Tour Jete on Aug. 29 and Oct. 2, beating that rival at Saratoga before throwing in a poor effort over the Aqueduct track last time. She's clearly capable on her best day, but she's lacked consistency, and I think others in this field possess greater upside.

Seat At the Table (#3) is another who has met some tougher company in her recent starts, primarily when she was in the Mark Casse barn. She did face a slightly softer group off the claim for Phil Antonacci last time at Colonial, but that was also her first start in three months. She had a right to need the race, and should do better in her second start for her new barn here.

My top pick is Tuck Check (#5), an improving 4-year-old filly who looks like she may be ready for another step forward. She hasn't competed at the higher allowance levels on this circuit, but she did meet some strong rivals in the Violet Stakes at Monmouth two back. She stalked an honest pace, racing two to three wide without cover, and was still in the mix in upper stretch before fading. I think she's a little better when she gets held up early and produces a strong finish. Those were the tactics last time when she was risked for a $40k tag in her first Aqueduct start. While the trip seems uneventful on paper, she didn't settle very well early, made a couple of subtle moves in the race, and had to make an awkward maneuver in upper stretch to find a clear path. Despite her halting trip, she finished with a flourish in the final furlong to just miss. I think she can build on that effort here in her second local start for Lindsey Schultz, who has won three of her last six starts on the NYRA circuit.