Saturday's TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Djulpan a major threat if he repeats his last

Aqueduct | Race 10 | Post Time 4:20 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs | Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up

Strike Midnight (#8) is the clear horse to beat in this spot. I know he got passed by today’s rival Cheyenne Bull in the late stages of that Nov. 3 race, but there’s no question that Strike Midnight ran the better race. He was three wide around the far turn, and made a four-wide move around the far turn. That day, he was being ridden by a jockey who tends to make moves like that, and now he gets a positive switch to Luis Saez. He's a deserving favorite, but I think another runner figures to offer better value.

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DJULPAN (#4) ran a pretty spectacular race last time. While the early fractions of that race don't appear to be that fast, the race was totally dominated by closers making outside moves. Considering dynamics, Djulpan did well to lose by only a half-length after setting the pace. There are a few potential speeds in this race, but I expect Angel Arroyo to send Djulpan to the lead once again. He’s run his best races when he’s forwardly placed and it is well established that he doesn’t run nearly as well when rated. He’s put in two strong workouts since that effort, so there’s a good chance he’s holding his solid recent form.

THE PLAY

Win/Place: 4
Exacta Key Box: 4 with 3,5,8,10,12
Trifecta: 4,8 with 4,8 with 3,5,10,12