Sunday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Speightful Kitten has improved since switching to dirt

Aqueduct | Race 5 | Post Time 2:26 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs | Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up

It’s difficult to predict where the public is going to land in this confusing race. Analyze the Odds (#1) should certainly be considered as he turns back in distance for Jason Servis. He was facing a marginally tougher field of open-company foes at Parx last time, and he disappointed as the slight favorite, never getting involved after dropping back from his outside post position. Servis now puts him back in for a tag, and I believe this shorter distance will benefit him. He’s clearly quite versatile, but I’ve always thought that he’s best around one turn. I’m using him prominently, but he’s not the most trustworthy option.

There are a few key contenders to consider out of the eighth race on Jan. 6. Tribecca (#8) was favored that day, but he was unable to make the early lead when Speightful Kitten was sent from the rail. Despite the fact that there didn’t appear to be much speed signed on, they ended up setting some legitimate fractions. All of the TimeformUS Pace Figures for this race are color-coded red, indicating an extremely fast pace, and that characterization is reflected in the speed figure.

SPEIGHTFUL KITTEN (#3) held on quite well in the stretch after contesting that pace, earning a 116 TimeformUS Speed Figure. I believe a repeat of that performance makes him the most likely winner of this race, and he should appreciate the slight cutback to six furlongs. Tribecca stayed on well to be third that day, but he seems to have lost some of the early speed that he once possessed. Speightful Kitten is just in awesome form right now for Linda Rice, and I like that he’s versatile enough to come from off the pace in a race that appears to feature more confirmed front-runners than last time.

THE PLAY

Win: 3
Exacta Key Box: 3 with 1,5,8
Trifecta: 3 with 1,8 with 1,5,6,7,8