Rain or Shine

- Highland Cat is going in Friday’s 9th, rain or shine, slop or turf. Bill Turner wants to give him the race either way; there’s a turf race for him in two weeks. We’re told that the decision is also “because he's worked on his hocks and it seems to have helped HC immensely.”

If the race stays on the grass, the obvious choice on form would be Mister Zee. He ran a strong second last week in the race that Highland Cat didn’t get into; it was his first try at this level. However, he lacks early speed and the shorten-up to seven furlongs from a mile and a sixteenth doesn't look like it will help. Remember, this horse is in the same boat as Highland Cat; with no similar race coming up until the 26th, Carlos Martin jumped at the chance to get any kind of grass race for his horse to try and take advantage of his sharp form. I’m sure that seven furlongs is not his preference.

Barclay Tagg has first-time turfer Stratonic, making his second start and first since September. This horse could love the grass. He’s by Strategic Mission, the sire of Showing Up, who Tagg has said will love the grass. Stratonic is out of a half-sister to Auntie Mame, a multiple graded winner on the grass and a winner of 10 of 17 lifetime. He also has Sir Ivor, TV Lark, and Tom Rolfe close up in his pedigree.

Tagg deserves consideration these days no matter who the horse is. Since returning from Florida, Tagg has sent out 12 starters at Aqueduct or Belmont. He’s won four races, and has six seconds and a third! Tagg took the 7th on Thursday with Soul Possession (Belong to Me), winning on the grass off an even longer layoff than Stratonic. The Mig was up, and has been now for the trainer’s last three winners. Soul Possession is out of a mare by the Irish Derby winner Sir Harry Lewis who is a half to the Grade 1 (Gazelle) winner Buy the Sport.

Unfortunately, the weather forecasts are insistent that it will be a day of wind and heavy rain. If the race comes off and the track is sloppy, Highland Cat would be caught inside and will certainly take a lot of mud in the face. Unless, that is, his revived hocks propel him like a rocket out of the gate in a race without much early jump (after he gets bet down to 8-1 in the final flashes)! Well? It’s possible, right? His long-ago rally for third in his debut was run over a track labeled ‘good,’ so maybe he’ll be the one that loves the slop. Besides, this is like getting a tip – “Hey, I got a tip on the 2, the trainer says.......”

This race doesn’t get any less ponderous if it’s run on a sloppy track instead of grass. Just as most of these have no turf form, only one, the main track only No Called Strikes, has a running line on a track labeled ‘sloppy.’ So your guess is as good as mine. I’ll stick to a win bet, probably bet a small box with Tagg's horse just because I mentioned him here, but that's it as far as exotics. I wouldn’t want to be upset over getting nailed in a triple and not having enough (any?) to win if he ever actually gets home first.

- Corinthian is back in training. [Jim] Jerkens said the horse could return to the races by the end of the Belmont meet or early in Saratoga. [Daily Racing Form]