Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Slight turnback should suit Thrill of It
Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 3:40 p.m. (ET)
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Shadow Dragon (#8) is obviously the horse to beat as he makes his fifth attempt to break through this N2X statebred condition. He was ambitiously placed early in his career after a surprise runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Holy Bull last winter, and seemed to initially relish the return to New York-bred company this summer. However, since that N1X victory, he’s been stuck at this second-level condition, finishing second in three of his last four starts, all in one-turn mile events. He hasn’t sprinted since his career debut, but I actually like this slight turnback for him. He unleashed a furious rally to win that only sprint start, and he figures to get a fair pace here as he cuts back to seven furlongs.
Among his main rivals is Radio Red (#9), who has also been struggling to achieve his best results at this allowance level in recent starts. After finishing in a photo for second with subsequent stakes winner Straight Arrow at Saratoga, he’s regressed in two subsequent starts. Recently, he has twice been defeated by today’s rival Zeebear (#1), and that foe seems more likely to appreciate the slight stretch-out to seven furlongs. I don’t want to overlook Zeebear at what could be a better price since he was against a speed bias two back and finished well last time after a wide trip. Linda Rice has been dangerous all year and did get this gelding to win impressively going a mile at Saratoga.
Yet I want to go in a different direction with another horse looking to recapture his best form. Thrill of It (#5) was running races that would make him highly competitive here from March right on through October of this year. However, he regressed sharply last time, fading in a race that was otherwise dominated towards the front end. That was a poor effort, but he had some subtle excuses. He was tentatively ridden early, and made a mild move up the rail to challenge for the lead before backing out and appearing to lose interest. He’s a horse who tends to do best with a more hands-on rider, and Romero Maragh figures to suit him well in that sense. I also like this slight turnback to seven furlongs. John Terranova is 10 for 41 (24%, $2.62 ROI) going from routes to sprints on dirt over the past five years. He won going a bit shorter than this early in the season, and he figures to be sharper with the blinkers going back on.