Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Rise in class a sign of confidence in Make Or Break

Aqueduct | Race 6 | Post Time 3:20 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs | Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up

The two main players in this race are Big Bennys Tribute (#8) and Chaysenbryn (#2), who finished second and third, respectively, when they met at this level on Dec. 11. Neither was any match for easy winner Customerexperience, but they both ran well and earned solid speed figures. Big Bennys Tribute proved that she could handle the one-mile distance stretching out for the first time, whereas Chaysenbryn validated her surprising 10-length win against cheaper company in November. Chaysenbryn did lose to her rival by 1 1/2 lengths, but she also had the wider trip. I’m using both of them, but I think there’s at least one alternative to consider at a better price.

MAKE OR BREAK (#3) was no match for the aforementioned two favorites when they met at this level on Dec. 11. However, she was able to achieve a better result on the class drop last time. That 90 TimeformUS Speed Figure stacks up well against those of the favorites, but she still lost at a relatively short price. One has to wonder if she requires slightly softer company to put in competitive efforts. Yet I’d be willing to upgrade that last effort slightly due to the fact she was racing wide throughout over a rail-biased surface. She now goes out for Mertkan Kantarmaci, who is 13 for 46 (28%, $3.15 ROI) first off the claim on dirt at Aqueduct over the past five years. The fact she’s moving all the way back up in class into a protected spot has to be a good sign. Notably these connections pulled off an upset with a similar move up in class off the claim on Sunday’s card.

THE PLAY

Win: 3
Exacta Key Box: 3 with 2,5,8