Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Be Up finally gets another chance to go longer

Belmont | Race 3 | Post Time 2:09 p.m. (ET)

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Brendan Walsh sends out a pair of 5-year-old mares in this optional claimer going 1 3/8 miles on turf. Federalist Papers (#1) makes some sense as she returns from a layoff, as she definitely prefers these longer distances. Yet she’s a plodding type who tends to be somewhat pace dependent, and there isn’t much speed signed on here. She also has Irad Ortiz Jr. named, a change from when this race was originally drawn Thursday, so she figures to be a shorter price. Walsh’s other runner, Ensemble (#7), drops in class out of a pair of Grade 3 events. She obviously had little chance against the likes of War Like Goddess last time, and two back she found herself in a race dominated by talented Chad Brown trainees. Prior to that, she was an impressive winner going 12 furlongs on synthetic, so distance clearly isn’t an issue.

Christophe Clement also has entered two fillies. Shad Nation (#5) will likely take more money off her runner-up finish at this level last time behind Miss Yearwood, who returned to win a stakes at Churchill. She figures to play out as the pacesetter in a race that lacks early speed, and she might have some upside second off the layoff. Clement’s other runner, Parnac (#2), could be a much better price, and I think she’s one who might appreciate the stretch-out. She’s by a sire who is a good stamina influence, and her one-paced style could lend itself well to going longer.

My top pick is Be Up (#3). She looks cheaper than the rest, moving up out of a $25K claimer. However, she was much the best that day, taking over with authority in the stretch. She had gone off form racing on synthetic prior to that, but she’s clearly a better turf horse. I also think she’s really going to appreciate stretching back out in distance. She made her career debut going 1 3/8 miles at Delaware in 2021 and obviously handled the distance that day. For whatever reason, she’s never tried a marathon since then, but she’s bred and composed like a horse that is supposed to love distance. She also has the tactical speed to work out the right trip in a race lacking pace.

At a much bigger price, I also would use Peace Seeker (#6). She’s another who has had limited opportunities to contest marathon races but has handled these distances when she’s tried them. Some might argue that this 8-year-old’s best days are behind her, but she met a tougher field at the level last time and now gets a rider upgrade to Javier Castellano.