Youalmosthadme might not need best to take Maryfield

Youalmosthadme has been a good filly so far in 2024 – a good filly to play against.

A distant third as the even-money favorite in the Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland, her 3-year-old bow, Youalmosthadme in the Miss Preakness at Pimlico finished a solidly defeated second as the 2-1 favorite. For lack of obvious alternatives, and because Brad Cox trains her, Youalmosthadme could be favored again Saturday at Monmouth Park in the $100,000 Maryfield Stakes.

The six-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies drew seven entrants, Youalmosthadme well drawn in post 5 has Samy Camacho named to ride.

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The draw might not matter if Youalmosthadme doesn’t wake up. The filly capped her 2-year-old season with good sprint wins in the Myrtlewood at Keeneland and the Fern Creek at Churchill, but her two performances this year suggest the horse hasn’t trained on at age 3.

Even so, Youalmosthadme might prove capable of beating this bunch even if she merely runs the same race as in her last two. The opposition lacks zest.

Looking at Beyer Speed Figures, something that always requires context, Daughter of Time and Girvin’s Princess have run faster this year than Youalmosthadme.

Daughter of Time earned a 78 Beyer in her most recent race, but that race wasn’t recent at all, a February maiden tilt at Aqueduct. Daughter of Time’s workout pattern for this comeback run shows two gaps, April 22 to May 20, and then May 20 and June 7. Not what one wants to see.

Girvin’s Princess carries a slightly more hefty work pattern. She developed nicely for trainer Kathleen O’Connell as winter turned to spring, second in a Florida-bred stakes before winning a first-level allowance April 20. Girvin’s Princess hasn’t raced since, but that’s not of major concern. O’Connell, with seven wins, is having a good Monmouth meet, she’s also on a 35-race stakes losing streak.

Belle’s Blue Bell finished 3 1/2 lengths behind Youalmosthadme in the Miss Preakness and lacks tactical speed, though she beat Maryfield entrant Caress in an April allowance contest at Gulfstream. Calle Amada exits a decent first-level Monmouth allowance win; the Beyer came back just 70, but that was a career-best. Rail-drawn Outspoken has won four in a row on the Ohio circuit.

Youalmosthadme almost starts to look good once you’ve parsed the Maryfield.

◗ Champion mare Idiomatic will ship from Kentucky to New Jersey and make her next start in the Molly Pitcher Stakes on the Haskell undercard on July 20. Idiomatic comes off a tough loss in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps to front-running Randomized. Her trainer, Brad Cox, also plans to send Highland Falls for the Monmouth Cup and could have a starter for the Haskell.

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