Sunday’s TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Can You Diggit can turn tables on Control Group

Aqueduct | Race 3 | Post Time 1:20 p.m. (ET)

If Control Group (#5) repeats his performance from the Discovery, he is almost certain to win this race. However, he had never before hinted at that kind of ability. It is worth noting that the Discovery was run during a two-week period when Rudy Rodriguez was winning everything in sight and getting a few of his horses to produce career-best efforts, and in recent weeks, he has once again picked up similar momentum. I think Control Group is very dangerous, but he’s going to get early pressure from Wake Up in Malibu as long as that foe breaks cleanly. At a very short price, this seems like the right time to take a shot against him.

I picked CAN YOU DIGGIT (#2) in the Discovery, and he disappointed that day. But I think he’s deserving of one more chance here. I may have underestimated how difficult it would be for Can You Diggit to return just 10 days after his prior start. He’s now had five weeks to recover from those performances, so I’m hopeful that he can get back to the form he displayed in the Empire Classic. On that occasion, he ran a better race than Control Group when closing into a moderate pace. The nine furlongs suits him, and he’s one of the few horses in this race who still has some upside.

THE PLAY

Win: 2

Exacta Key Box: 2 with 1,5

Trifecta: 2,5 with 2,5 with ALL