Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Phelpsy looks ready to earn first victory

Belmont at the Big A | Race 6 | Post Time 3:16 p.m. (ET)

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The likely favorite in this maiden special weight is Silo Ridge (#4). He showed speed and faded on debut at Saratoga going the demanding 7-furlong distance. He apparently got quite a bit out of that race, as he was much more effective next time out. Again asked to go 7 furlongs in his second start, he tracked the pace and gamely chased home the eventual winner while clear of some talented rivals in behind. He earned a flashy 111 TimeformUS Speed Figure for that performance, and the number looks totally legitimate based on a series of strong runbacks out of that race. Winner Digitize returned to win his next start in fast time. He picks up Irad Ortiz and appears to have found a much softer field than he met last time.

I prefer his main rival Phelpsy (#6). This $1 million yearling purchase has taken a little while to come around. He was a disappointment as a 2-year-old, but he appears to have returned as an improved horse this year. He closed well going this distance off the layoff at Aqueduct in April, and then ran the best race of his career at Monmouth last time. He got off to a very slow start, and rushed up to contest an honest pace. He had every right to throw in the towel, but battled all the way to the wire, begrudgingly settling for second. Now the blinkers come off, so I would expect him to break better this time. I don’t mind the slight turnback for him, and he’s likely better than his overall form indicates.