Highland Cat an AE

- We need just one horse to scratch for Highland Cat to get into Friday’s sixth; and with 12 horses in the main body, you have to think we have a shot. To get into the race, that is. According to A Closer Look, Tactical Cat gets 12% first time turf winners; not bad. It goes on to say that HIghland Cat raises more questions than answers. But we all know that the vet has been around to work on his hocks, and that he’s feeling better. At least according to his trainer. The outside post won’t help out of the Widener chute; but a lot of us think that the turf will.

The main contenders as far as turf form goes looks to be Hanging Curve (Grand Slam), a $300,000 yearling in for a tag (45K) for the first time off decent thirds; he looks like the speed. Mister Zee (Mr. Greeley) has some very decent grass lines from last fall against maiden specials and even a restricted stakes. We should find out around 11 whether Highland Cat is in or out.

- Frankel alert: Rathor (Machiavellian) is now two-for-two since coning from the UK. His first was a sprint with a 95 Beyer, and in Thursday’s 4th at Belmont, he stretched out and won at 4-5, getting the mile and a sixteenth in 1:41 1/5, and beating Mayan King by three. In the 5th, High Finance (Talk Is Money) showed that his 9 length win at Keeneland was no fluke, and won off by five in 1:34 4/5; final quarter in 24 flat. Talk Is Money is by Deputy Minister. High Finance is out of a Conquistador Cielo mare who is a half to graded winner Five Star Day.

Just Precision (Stormin Fever) was way live on the board as the 5-2 favorite in the 6th a maiden sprint; she was 5-1 third choice in the morning line making her first start since September for Bill Mott. She nosed out the other hot horse, Kiaran McLaughlin’s first timer Roshani (Fantastic Light); 6-1 morning line, 5-2 second choice. What a great game. Roshani is out of a Deputy Minister mare who is a half to the dam of those turf-loving sisters Dynamist and Dyna’s Destiny. [EDIT: By turf champion Fantastic Light, just wait until this one gets on the turf!] McLaughlin made amends in the 7th with Capote’s Crown, a horse who seems to really like Belmont. In that race, Noblewoman was a beaten favorite at 7-10 for Darley; classic case of a horse getting overbet off a maiden win.