Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Our Preferred Pal can make it two in a row

Belmont at the Big A | Race 6 | Post Time 3:39 p.m. (ET)

This starter allowance for New York-breds is highly competitive as all 7 entrants are in with a chance. I think trips and pace could determine the outcome, and I would expect Our Preferred Pal (#2) to get another aggressive ride from her inside post position. Ruben Silvera has gunned her to the front end in two of his three rides aboard her. She just found six furlongs to be too short when she failed to make the front two back, and had some subtle traffic throughout that race. She's otherwise been in good form since returning from a layoff this winter. It did take her 14 attempts to break her maiden. Yet she has this starter condition available to her, which makes facing winners less of a step up in class than it normally would be. I think she's the most likely winner, and she probably won't be favored.

Scarlet's Dream (#7) looks like one of her main pace rivals breaking from the outside post. She beat a weaker field when she won at the $30k conditioned claiming level last time, but it does feel like Keri Brion finally has her back in decent form. She had run races a year ago at this time that would beat this field, and she's steadily been coming back around for the new barn.

A. P. Slingshot (#4) was defeated by Scarlet’s Dream when they met on April 10, but she got the winner's circle at that level last time. She's stepping up in class as well, but has been pretty reliable lately, and should be closing late to pick up pieces for at least a minor award.