Thursday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Utamaro deserves another chance on turf
Belmont at the Big A | Race 9 | Post Time 5:21 p.m. (ET)
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Screw Loose (#3) drew a much better post position than many of the other primary contenders in this 1 1/16-mile maiden-claiming finale. The major question for the Mark Hennig trainee is the distance, since he’s never raced beyond seven furlongs, and he didn’t even finish that well in his lone attempt going that distance. Yet he did run the best race of his career in his most recent turf start on July 8, when he was unlucky not to win after getting shuffled back in traffic on the far turn. He came with a good late run, but just had too much ground to make up. That late rally was also a bit of an optical illusion, as the entire field was coming together at the end after the winner carved out an extremely fast pace.
Zapruder (#9) will also take money with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard as this gelding makes his first start off the claim for Joe Sharp. Perhaps he’ll do better for the new barn, but I find it tough to take any kind of short price on this plodder. He looked like a horse with potential early in his career, but he just never developed or learned through experience. He tends to race sluggishly through the early stages, and lacks any turn of foot.
The race would get a little more interesting if one or both also-eligible entrants draw into the field. I’m mildly intrigued by Just for Luck (#13), who closed well for second behind a superior rival in his last turf race. He also put in a decent effort off the trainer switch to Steve Asmussen on dirt last time, suggesting he’s maintained solid form.
My top pick is Utamaro (#7). This Linda Rice gelding deserves another chance on turf after getting an educational run against a stronger field in his lone start on the surface. He was ridden pretty conservatively that day while being allowed to drop back early and was never asked for much run through the lane. He has subsequently run about as well in two starts on the dirt, and did finish with some interest last time on the class drop. However, he’s likely more of a turf horse as a son of Cairo Prince. I like him getting back on the grass at this level, and I don’t mind the rider switch to Manny Franco, who should be a good fit for this grinding type. It appears as if there is sufficient pace in here to set up his late run.