Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: The reliable Professor Snape has the upper hand in Race 2

Belmont Park | Race 2 | Post Time 2:31 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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With Autostrade scratching to instead run in a Saturday allowance, Bugle Notes (#1) becomes Todd Pletcher’s lone representative in this race. This expensive colt figures to take money following a visually impressive debut, but he will need to run significantly faster to take down this field. He certainly has a right to do so, given he broke slowly in that initial start and rushed up to chase a fast pace. Yet, given a relatively short price, I’d rather bet others.

Some may consider Polar Jet (#2) to be an alternative, but his last race concerns me. Unlike the runner who finished just ahead of him that day, Polar Jet had no excuse to lose by more than 5 lengths to the seemingly inferior Jewel Can Disco. This horse had been running in cheap races last year and I wonder if the good form that he was able to capture over the winter is now eluding him.

PROFESSOR SNAPE (#5) is clearly the one in the best form. He has put forth three consecutive strong efforts since Antonio Arriaga added blinkers March 30. That day, he was justifiably put up to victory after dueling with Son of Mine. Next time, he was badly hampered at the start when he turned his head just as the gates opened. Thereafter, he was forced to race in an uncomfortable spot between horses and actually ran deceptively well to be second. He rebounded with a career-best speed figure when finishing behind the undefeated Breaking the Rules last time. He should be the clear favorite in this spot, yet he may offer value due to his low-profile trainer.

THE PLAY

Win: 5

Exacta Key Box: 5 with 1,3,6,7

Trifecta: 5 with 1,3 with 1,3,6,7