Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Not That Brady should appreciate drop in class

Belmont Park | Race 8 | Post Time 6:46 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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This race features the return of impressive 2-year-old debut winner Looking At Bikinis (#2), who won his maiden last September in the slop. He led throughout while registering an impressive score over eventual Sunland Park Derby winner Cutting Humor. It’s taken this horse a while to get back to the races, and now he’ll be stretching out for the first time as he makes his first start in nearly 10 months. The added ground should not be a problem since sire Lookin At Lucky generally gets horses who go route distances and the dam was best between seven furlongs and 1 1/16 miles on turf. I’m using him prominently, but he’s running into some more-seasoned rivals with real ability.

Todd Pletcher has entered a pair, of which Overdeliver (#4) seems more appealing. This horse lost all chance in the Wood Memorial two back when badly hampered in that traffic jam after the start. He returned with a solid performance going six furlongs last time at Pimlico and should appreciate getting back out to a mile. I’m using him, but I actually prefer another horse coming out of the Wood Memorial.

NOT THAT BRADY (#5) was dismissed at 40-1 that day, but he actually ran an exceptional race to be fifth. He dueled for the early lead with Joevia, eventually putting that rival away at the quarter pole before getting swallowed up by the closers. The form of the Wood has been strong, as Tacitus came back to run well in the Triple Crown events and Joevia went on to be third in the Belmont Stakes. Not That Brady had shown serious ability over the winter, and his best TimeformUS Speed Figures of 120 and 119 tower over this field. If he’s still able to perform at that level, he’s going to be a handful.

THE PLAY

Win: 5

Exacta Key Box: 5 with 2,3,4

Trifecta: 5 with 2,4 with 1,2,3,4