Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Harry Hood due for better trip
Belmont at the Big A | Race 7 | Post Time 3:49 p.m. (ET)
I don’t have a major knock against L’Antharis (#1), who ran very well in his U.S. debut over this same distance. He had been entered about a month ago in a race that was rained off the turf, which helps to explain the three-month layoff since that start. If he returns in the same form or builds on that last performance he is going to be tough for this field to handle. However, I had liked him that day at a generous 7-1 off French form that I thought was better than it looked on paper. Now he’s going to be a fraction of that price after his U.S. debut exposed his quality. He drew well for this, but does have to break an unlucky slump for the Bill Mott barn.
Main rival Be Like Clint (#3) couldn’t get past the favorite when they met on July 26, settling for yet another minor award, something he’s done in most of his recent turf starts. It’s easy to admire his consistency, but he just seems to lack that winning punch, and his closing style often gives him too much to do in the lane.
Brees (#9) defeated Be Like Clint when they met on July 4, putting in a career-best effort to finish second in a similar spot over this course and distance. However, his next race at Saratoga was the polar opposite, a dreadful effort that saw him fade to last. He got the wrong trip that day, as he rushed up after a slow start and got a wide journey. However, he’s unlikely to make the lead here with Tide of the Sea (#10) drawn outside of him, so he’s tough to trust.
My top pick is Harry Hood (#8), who exits some of the same races as those aforementioned rivals. It looks like his form tailed off after running so well in the Grade 2 Pan American earlier this year, but he was subsequently overmatched in the Man O’ War and then got a terrible wide trip on June 16. His July 26 effort behind L’Antharis was better, but he got a ride that was a bit too passive, and couldn’t find clear running room until it was too late. Then last time he was never in the most comfortable spot, stuck behind and between horses for much of his trip before getting pushed wide in upper stretch. He gets an interesting rider switch to Ruben Silvera while many top jockeys are out of town, and deserves one more chance at this level now that he figures to be a more generous price.