Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Shaman Princess dangerous on the front end

Belmont at the Big A | Race 10 | Post Time 5:52 p.m. (ET) | Get the new TimeformUS PPs

I’ve seen enough of the two experienced fillies who are likely to attract the most support in this statebred maiden special weight. Cerretta (#1) and Voleuse (#2) both have credentials to break through at this level, but they have also had their fair share of chances to do so. Cerretta is still a maiden after 11 starts, and though she has found her niche as a turf sprinter, she’s continued to settle for minor awards in recent starts. I didn’t think she had much excuse to lose at Belmont back in June, or more recently in July at Saratoga.

Voleuse may go off at an even shorter price with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. Yet I have trouble taking her as the favorite after she squandered an opportunity to win two back at Saratoga. She got a perfect trip in that July 22 affair and just hung through the late stages. She did face males last time and may not have appreciated getting pinned to the rail, but she still had little to offer in the late stages.

I want to focus on horses who are less exposed. There are a couple of interesting first-time starters. Laurana (#9) is a little more obvious as she goes out for Christophe Clement, who is 8 for 27 (30 percent, $3.20 ROI) with 3-year-old and older first-time starters in turf sprints over the past five years. She has pedigree to be a runner, as a half-sister to talented dirt horse Sioux as well as turf sprinters Epping Forest and Kokopelli.

Cherbourg (#6) doesn’t have as powerful connections in her corner, but she also has plenty of turf pedigree, being by English Channel out of a dam who won twice sprinting on turf in Great Britain. She’s also a half-sister to Twisted Filigree, a talented 2-year-old for George Weaver who recently won sprinting on turf.

My top pick is a horse who has turf experience, yet remains unexposed on this surface. Shaman Princess (#5) tried the grass once in her most recent start at Saratoga. She got keyed up prior to the race, which is usually indicative of a horse that will show speed. After all, she’s been a one-dimensional front-runner in her dirt races. Yet Manny Franco decided, or was under instructions, to rate her at all costs. This filly clearly wanted to do more through the opening furlongs, but was aggressively restrained. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that her uncoupled stablemate Spooky Lady was the other speed and went on to wire the field. This time Shaman Princess lands in a field without as much speed signed on, and she’s shown as the clear leader on the Pace Projector. She still has to prove she can handle turf, but she has some pedigree and might be better than she looks at first glance.