Sunday’s TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Overtime Olivia returns after getting slowed by a dead rail

Aqueduct | Race 2 | Post Time 1:50 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs for this race

Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up

First-time starter Cumbria (#7) is likely to attract attention while facing a relatively soft group of maidens for a barn that knows how to win first time out. She brings a few bullet workouts that jump off the page, including a Feb. 13 drill that matches her stakes-placed stablemate Can You Diggit. There’s more turf breeding on the dam’s side of her pedigree, but she is a daughter of Distorted Humor, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her handle dirt.

Of those with experience, Hurricane Sheila (#6) is one of the more intriguing options. She made just one start at Laurel last year and did not get an ideal trip. She was off a bit slowly and proceeded to race wide around the turn before flattening out. Two turf starts did not yield particularly positive results, and now she’s back on the main track following a long layoff. Linda Rice has good numbers in this situation, but I prefer one of her rivals.

OVERTIME OLIVIA (#5) surprised many with her strong debut effort Dec. 7, setting a legitimate pace and just getting run down late. Pitted against a tougher field Jan. 21, she again set the pace before fading to fourth. However, that was a better effort than it seems since Overtime Olivia was racing right next to the rail on a day when the inside path appeared to be dead. I believe that significantly hindered her chances, and now she finds herself in a spot where she should be the controlling speed.

THE PLAY

Win: 5

Exacta Key Box: 5 with 2,6,7

Trifecta: 5 with 2,6,7 with 2,6,7