Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Harlan’s Bond returns from needed freshening

Aqueduct | Race 7 | Post Time 3:10 p.m. (ET)

A Maize Zing Dotie (#2) figures to take money again after clearing her N1X allowance condition as the favorite last time. She’s now won 4 of her last 5 starts, though three of those victories came at Finger lakes against inferior competition this summer. She disappointed in her initial venture to the NYRA circuit after getting embroiled in a fast pace in August, but she rebounded last time with a victory over today’s rival Mybronxbaby (#7). Both of these fillies possess early speed and they figure to vie for early supremacy once again. I give slight preference to Mybronxbaby between the two of them, since she’s drawn better outside, and appears to have moved forward since they last met.

However, the presence of Sue Ellen Mishkin (#5) could complicate matters both of those rivals. This Linda Rice trainee hasn’t raced since March, but she possesses plenty of early speed and is almost always leading at the first call in her races. She did win at this level in January, but she took advantage of a strong rail bias that day. I don’t like her to win the race, but she figures to have an impact on the outcome.

The obvious closer in the field is True Empress (#6), who comes into this race in career-best form, having won 3 of her last 4 starts. The only loss during that time came in her one start outside of Finger Lakes when she shipped to Saratoga. However, she actually ran quite well in defeat that day, closing for third into a moderate pace. She wasn’t beating much last time, but couldn’t have won much easier, geared down for the final furlong. I respect her current form, but she doesn’t figure to be much of a price.

My top pick is Harlan’s Bond (#1). Unlike most others in this field, she is actually dropping in class after having faced a tougher group at this level last time in a race won by future stakes winner Cara’s Time. She’s been off for several months since then, but the break was probably needed after she had made all 21 prior career starts without a single layoff line. Now she’s gotten 5 months to freshen up for this return, and she shows a pretty consistent worktab for the comeback. Her form might seem like it tailed off this spring, but she wanted no part of the one-mile distance two back and was overmatched last time. Her prior efforts make her a strong fit here, she has the right running style for this spot, and she figures to be a fair price.