Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Fancy Footwork finally gets a chance at dirt route
Belmont at the Big A | Race 7 | Post Time 4:09 p.m. (ET)
This maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies looks like one of the most wide open races on the card, lacking a clear favorite. All About You (#3) should be regarded as a legitimate contender after hitting the board in a couple of races at this level during the Saratoga meet. She was no match for the impressive winner Tennessee Belle two back and then came back on relatively short rest, finishing third to Lovely Christina 15 days later. Both of those races came at six furlongs, and I have some doubts about her getting better as she stretches out to a mile here. Maclean's Music can get routers, but is a good speed influence, and the dam was a turf horse whose best foal preferred sprint distances.
A couple of fillies are switching surfaces after running on turf up at the Spa. The one that I think might appreciate the switch to dirt is Connect the Stars (#2), who really doesn't have much pedigree for grass. I don't love that Mark Casse started her out at six furlongs in her debut, which wouldn't suggest that they initially went to turf to get added distance in to her. I still think she's improved since then, and she's done so despite getting some wide trips in her recent starts. Her dam Split Time was a stakes winner routing on dirt.
There are also some first time starters to consider, but I want to take the wait and see approach with those. I generally don't prefer horses going a mile on debut, though runners like Jadorlinija (#1) and Believable (#10) do go out for sharp barns and may attract some support.
My top pick is Fancy Footwork (#5), who finally stretches out to a mile after two sprints at Saratoga. I've been waiting for this filly to get a chance going longer since everything about her suggests that she should improve with added distance. Her pedigree is certainly geared towards longer distances, by excellent stamina influence Curlin out of a dam who was a Grade 1 winning over 1 1/8 miles on dirt. She got outrun early in her debut, but stayed on well for third in the slop. I like that she showed sharper early speed last time, staying in contact with the leaders early before tiring along the rail late. That race didn't feature much pace for her, and she also might have been catching a tougher field than this one. Winner Steer Clear had been cross-entered in the Spinaway, and runner-up Americathegreat just came back to win at Churchill Downs on Saturday. I expect Fancy Footwork to take another step forward and she may be a fair price for a trainer whose 2-year-olds haven't attracted a ton of wagering support.