Wednesday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Desert Duchess can move forward off claim by Maker

Belmont | Race 6 | Post Time 4:09 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs

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With the scratch of likely favorite Nouvelle Vague, this race now features a rematch of Believe Indeed and Desert Duchess, who finished first and second in the fifth race on May 21. Both were claimed out of that race, as Believe Indeed moved from trainer Derek Ryan to Bruce Levine’s barn and Desert Duchess went from Bruce Levine to Mike Maker’s barn.

While Believe Indeed got the better of her 3-year-old rival that day, DESERT DUCHESS (#2) ran the stronger race.

Desert Duchess got involved in a heated early duel with a runner who ultimately finished last. The fast early pace set things up for late runners like Believe Indeed, but Desert Duchess refused to yield in the stretch and gamely battled back to just lose by a head. She's been picked up out of that race by Maker, who has fantastic numbers off the claim. According to DRF Formulator, over the past five years, Maker is 12 for 50 ($3.71 ROI) first off the claim in turf routes at NYRA tracks.

I’ll use her with the aforementioned Believe Indeed (#1A) as well as Holidays Saratoga (#4), who drops in class and would benefit from a fast pace, and longshot Loyal Heart (#7), who got a terrible ride in her most recent turf start and is better on this surface than her form suggests.

THE PLAY

Win: 2

Exacta Key Box: 2 with 1,4,7

Trifecta: 2 with 1,4,7 with 1,4,7,11,12