Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Echo in Eternity should relish added ground

Aqueduct | Race 5 | Post Time 3:20 p.m. (ET)

The key to this race is likely favorite Smokie Eyes (#4). She looks formidable based on that last dirt race from December where she earned a 102 TimeformUS Speed Figure at this level. I just have to wonder if she’s truly a dirt horse, or if that performance was some kind of fluke. She’s spent most of her career on turf and her lone prior dirt attempt, albeit in the mud, was quite poor. That last race was hardly flattered when winner Bernt Again came back to lose at 8-5, regressing significantly. This filly was sold in January for $140k and now goes out for Bill Mott, who does reasonably well off trainer switches like this. Yet I don’t think it’s a great sign that her prior connections put her up for sale even after she proved herself to be versatile enough to win on dirt. I’m mildly against her at what figures to be a very short price.

I see two possible alternatives to this favorite. The more obvious of the two is probably Scoring Chance (#1). This filly was a vet scratch on Mar. 28 when entered in a tougher race for the level, and now catches an easier spot against a smaller field. She earned a competitive speed figure on debut, getting a good trip, saving ground early over a track that was kind to inside runners. Yet she went clear going 7 furlongs as if a little added distance won’t be an issue. Last time she was always outrun on the cutback, and never had great position. Good Magic is a 20% dirt route sire, and the dam has produced one dirt route winner, so I can take a positive view.

My top pick is Echo in Eternity (#5). She faced some good ones in her maiden losses, as Angelique and Timely Conquest went to beat allowance company with improved speed figures, and no one was touching 14-length winner Speightful Lily when she came off the layoff. She finally found a field she could handle last time and gradually wore down the leader before holding on late. The final time looks slow, but she got a pace-upgraded 90 TimeformUS Speed Figure, since she was attending some quick early splits. I actually like her stretching out, and have always wanted to see her try longer distances. She’s out of a dam who wanted to run all day, even as far as marathon distances, and her best sibling is multiple dirt route winner Ice Princess. She has worked well since that victory and might still have some upside third off the layoff.