Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Outside draw should benefit Kid’s Last Laugh

Aqueduct | Race 2 | Post Time 12:40 p.m. (ET)

She’s a Tempest (#2) is the key to this race as she returns from a layoff while switching into the Bill Mott barn. This filly had shown a high level of talent last winter in California for former trainer Steve Knapp. She achieved her only victory in a strong maiden race going a mile last January, defeating Ultimate Authority, who came back to win her next start improving by 10 TimeformUS Speed Figure points. She’s a Tempest then twice finished third in Grade 3 company, but was beaten by some pretty talented rivals including Kinza, who led that Southern California 3-year-old filly division early last year. She ascended to a 111 TimeformUS Speed Figure in that most recent start in March, but subsequently went to the sidelines. Bill Mott is 6 for 32 (19%, $1.21 ROI) with horses coming off layoffs of 120 to 240 days over the past 5 years. Her early speed should play well here, but she has to prove that she can be as effective sprinting.

I see a couple of interesting alternatives. One of those is Sarir (#1), who makes her first start off the claim for Linda Rice. She obviously has to improve to beat the favorite, but she has a right to improve on her most recent start at Keeneland, which followed a layoff. She showed some promise earlier this year, and she possesses dangerous early speed in a race that doesn’t feature much pace.

My top pick is Kid’s Last Laugh (#7), who also makes her second start off a layoff. This filly showed immediate improvement off the claim for Rick Dutrow last winter, winning a starter allowance before stepping up to this level. She put in an especially strong effort on Feb. 24 when closing for second behind Amaretti, who had set a slow pace up front. That 105 TimeformUS Speed Figure makes her competitive with this field if she can repeat it. Her last two efforts haven’t been as successful, but she rushed up after a slow start going a mile two back, and then was on the sidelines. Her return race in October is better than it appears, since she got shuffled back along the inside around the turn and then was coming on best of all late behind a gate to wire winner. She was flying across the wire and galloped out very strongly, suggesting that she finished with more left in the tank. She figures to hold her position better breaking from an outside post this time, and the extra half-furlong should benefit her.