Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Portage stretches back out to preferred distance
Belmont at the Big A | Race 8 | Post Time 4:22 p.m. (ET)
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Cupid’s Heart (#6) is typically popular with the bettors, and she figures to take money again. She’s been the odds-on favorite in three of her four attempts at this N1X allowance level, yet she remains winless at these conditions. That’s not to suggest she hasn’t run well as she was probably best two back when closing belatedly after a poor start. Few in this field are as naturally talented as her, but she’s not the most reliable filly and I’m also not convinced that she’s best at this one-mile distance.
I much prefer her main rival Portage (#8), who seems better suited to this trip. Portage is stretching out from a six-furlong event, but that race was arguably too short for her as she got outrun through the early stages and was left with too much ground to make up in a speed-dominated affair. She had previously won her maiden at seven furlongs, beating a next-out winner. She also had run admirably going a mile in her first start for Linda Rice, fading to third but proceeding to gallop out strongly past the field. I think she’s suited to these conditions, and she’s drawn well outside of her other pace rivals. Furthermore, Rice is 24 for 73 (33 percent, $2.58 ROI) going from sprints to routes in dirt allowance races over the past five years.
Fancy Azteca (#1) has some things to prove after getting eased on the backstretch in her most recent start at Saratoga. It’s a good sign that she returned to the work tab just two weeks later, and now she’s entered back at the same level. However, it’s unclear if she really wants to go this far, and now she’s part of a coupled entry, which will drive down the price.
Toned Up (#4) is a little more interesting at a better price. She’s shown subtle improvement since the claim by Rob Atras. She’s been racing around two turns in paceless events at Saratoga, and I think she could appreciate this turnback to a mile where the pace is likely to be a bit quicker. She’s one to include underneath.