Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Commuted has upside for new connections

Aqueduct | Race 6 | Post Time 2:40 p.m. (ET)

This surely came up tougher than your average first-level allowance race. Possible favorite Timeout (#5) is dropping out of the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, in which he actually attracted some support to go off at 10-1 odds. He failed to deliver his best effort that day, but the race flow didn’t suit his style after the pace failed to develop. He had previously been running speed figures that would make him awfully tough for this field to handle, but I wonder if he will be able to produce those numbers cutting back to a mile. He had blossomed around two turns, and his one-paced, plodding style may not suit this distance as well.

Masmak (#11) should also attract support off a visually impressive maiden score last time, which earned him a 118 TimeformUS Speed Figure. However, that form was called into question when runner-up Upstanding returned to disappoint as a heavy favorite on Friday. Yo Daddy (#2) is another with a massive number in his recent past performances, earning a 119 TimeformUS Speed Figure for his starter allowance victory in August. He’s raced on turf in both starts since then, and it turns out that just isn’t his preferred surface. He has a right to do better returning to dirt here, but I wonder if he will be as effective as he steps up against tougher company.

Pentathlon (#3) was a minor disappointment at this level last time when he turned back to this distance after tiring going two turns in his prior start. However, he did move into a pretty fast pace in a race that ultimately went to a closer. He hasn’t quite gotten back to the effort he put forth in that decisive maiden score at Saratoga, but he’s run reasonably well in his two starts and his speed may play better here in a race that doesn’t feature an abundance of pace.

Global Perspective (#8) is an intriguing wild card who returns from a layoff for Chad Brown, who obviously has solid statistics with this move. This son of Tapit debuted in a very live maiden race during his 2-year-old season at Saratoga, defeated only by future Preakness winner Seize the Grey and Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch. He’s been working steadily for his return and can factor here with routine improvement.

My top pick is another last-out maiden winner. Commuted (#1) showed promise in his debut at Churchill Downs this summer, closing resolutely to finish a narrowly beaten third behind Brad Cox trainee Most Wanted, who has since gone on to win 4 races in a row, including the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby. He then lost all chance after a tough start at Saratoga, but he rebounded last time with a game maiden victory going 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs. The runner-up was leaning on him throughout the stretch run, and he did well to battle on for the victory despite getting put in tight quarters. He was then sold at auction for $150k, but now he goes out for Flying P Stables and Rob Falcone. The new connections entered him against a tougher field in last week’s Discovery before scratching in favor of this spot instead.