Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Laurelin should extend unbeaten streak in Memories of Silver

Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 4:54 p.m. (ET)

I'm not trying to beat Laurelin (#2) even as one of the favorites as she returns from a layoff in the Memories of Silver. This Graham Motion trainee had displayed serious talent winning both starts during her two-year-old season. Her debut victory was so much better than the margin of victory might suggest, as she made multiple moves during the race. She had to advance from the back of the pack into a stalking position onto the backstretch, and then moved again to challenge the leaders before pulling clear late. She also didn't get an ideal trip in her second start when she moved up to face stakes company in the Tepin. She was pushed wide on the backstretch and proceeded to advance without cover on the second turn before kicking past the leaders in the lane. She was given plenty of time off during her winter break, but she returns with a consistent string of workouts for this comeback. Graham Motion is one of the best in the game off layoffs like this, winning with 20 of 92 runners off 120 to 240 day breaks in turf routes over 5 years, for a $2.85 ROI.

I much prefer her to the other filly who could be vying for favoritism, Virgin Colada (#9). She ran some nice races during her juvenile season, but failed to progress after turning head on debut at Saratoga. She lost her next two stakes attempts as the favorite, even when getting a great trip in the Miss Grillo. The trip didn't work out in the Breeders' Cup last time, where she encountered serious trouble on the first turn. I just still have some questions about her overall ability and upside at a short price.

The pair exiting the Sanibel Island, Candy Quest (#6) and Love Cervere (#7), both merit a look here. Candy Quest got the better trip in that Gulfstream stakes, but she did adapt her running style to rally from farther off the pace. Both of these fillies won their debuts at Aqueduct and get back to this track for the first start since then. Love Cervere is coming off a poor effort in that last common race, but she missed some training prior to that and may be set for better here.

The longshot that I would key underneath is Burner Account (#8). She obviously has some questions to answer switching back to turf, but she was intended to be a turf horse early in her career for trainer Mark Casse. She didn't handle the dirt when she first got over it for new connections, but she has steadily improved over the last several months. She set a very fast pace in her last effort and did well to hold on for third, outrunning her odds for the third start in a row. I think she deserves another chance on turf given her pedigree and recent improvement. She also could play out as the controlling speed.