Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Marathon distance no problem for Swore

Belmont at the Big A | Race 9 | Post Time 4:54 p.m. (ET)

TimeformUS PPs are now available on drf.com. Go to shop.drf.com and use coupon code NYRATF23 to get one free TimeformUS card.

Francesco Clemente (#4) figures to attract plenty of support as he drops in class for his second North American start. Coming off a layoff, he made his first start for the Chad Brown barn at the optional-claiming N2X level, and ran on decently in the late stages after getting away to a tardy start. He might have needed that race against tougher company, and now his connections take advantage of his eligibility for this softer N1X condition. Even though he has won three races in his lifetime, they had purses low enough that they don’t meet the $18,000 threshold that counts as a win towards allowance conditions in New York. The big question for him is the added distance, which shouldn’t be a problem given that he won going as far as 1 1/4 miles in Europe. However, it is interesting that Chad Brown adds blinkers for the stretch-out. Over the past five years, Brown is just 4 for 35 (11%, $0.60 ROI) with blinker additions for 4-year-old and older horse on turf.

One alternative to consider is Cyber Ninja (#1), who takes another shot at this level after closing mildly for second in a similar spot last time. He got a pretty good trip and was running on steadily at the end, but his kick was no match for the late rush of winner Catch That Party. I do think this lightly raced 3-year-old still has potential for improvement, and he seems to have found his niche as a turf marathoner. He drew well and merits some consideration.

My top pick is another lightly raced runner. Swore (#9) was off the track for a year and a half coming into his 4-year-old season, but he’s quickly making up for lost time. He should have graduated from the maiden ranks two back at Saratoga when he was making a winning move in deep stretch before getting knocked off stride by Smart Uncle in the final sixteenth. Horses exiting that race have since flattered the form, as winner Faraday came back to beat a tougher group at Kentucky Downs with a 109 TimeformUS Speed Figure, and fourth-place Toofareastiswest also returned to win his next start with a 109. Swore subsequently went to Kentucky Downs as the heavy favorite against an overmatched field of maidens and he was always in command of that race, drawing clear impressively. He obviously relishes this distance, and he still has upside as he steps up against winners for the first time.