Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Belmont-loving Life in Shambles has an upset chance in the Diablo

Belmont | Race 8 | Post Time 5:13 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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This may be only a listed stakes, but it came up as tough as a Grade 2 or Grade 3 event. Green Gratto won the Grade 1 Carter last time out, but did so with the help of a strong speed bias. He also has to deal with Chief Lion and Noholdingback Bear on the lead. The latter runner ran well as a 3-year- old, but Brian Lynch is 0 for 18 with runners returning from layoffs of 120 to 240 days in dirt sprints over the last five years (DRF Formulator). And then you have Stallwalkin’ Dude, who seems to always show up – but can he be ready for a top effort after getting just six weeks’ rest following his Dubai trip?

I’ve decided to go in a completely different direction and am taking a shot with LIFE IN SHAMBLES (#2). I know he looks inferior to the aforementioned runners, but I think he may be cycling up to a good effort. This horse just does not care for the inner track, having started seven times over that surface without a single top-three finish. Belmont is his preferred surface and he’s coming off a performance that is a bit better than it appears considering the slow pace. Based on his performances this winter, he doesn’t have that much ground to make up on Stallwalkin’ Dude and Green Gratto.

THE PLAY

Win/Place: 2

Trifecta: 2 with 5,7,8 with 3,4,5,6,7,8

Trifecta: 5,7,8 with 2 with 3,4,5,6,7,8

Trifecta: 5,7,8 with 3,4,5,6,7,8 with 2