Saturday’s TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Spring Quality should appreciate stretch-out in Red Smith

Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 3:47 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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The likely favorite in this competitive field is Money Multiplier (#2). He might be the most talented horse in the race, and this is certainly a good distance for him. However, I wonder if this is a case of being in the right race at the wrong time. He's always appreciated the harder turf courses that you find during the summer months, and his form tends to tail off when he gets over the more demanding turf courses of the autumn months.

I prefer some others, including Chad Brown's other horse, Call Provision (#10). I think this New York-bred will appreciate the distance, and he's certainly improved in recent months. He’s likely to turn the tables on fellow statebred Get Jets, who probably wants to go shorter than this. However, both of these horses are closers, and there is very little early speed in this race.

Memories of Peter could be on the early lead, but I think two stalkers will be very dangerous. One of those is Oscar Nominated (#5), who figures to be among the shorter prices. I’ll certainly use him, but the one I want to bet is SPRING QUALITY (#7). This 5-year-old gelding is definitely bred for turf, as a half-brother to multiple turf-stakes winner Holiday Star, who excelled at these longer distances. I thought he gave a solid account of himself in his turf debut in the Knickerbocker, staying on well despite racing wide around both turns. He figures to be forwardly placed in the early going, which should be an advantage in this spot.

THE PLAY

Win/Place: 7

Exacta Key Box: 7 with 2,5,9,10

Trifecta: 7 with 2,5,10 with 2,4,5,9,10,12