Highland Cat - Your Call

- Highland Cat is listed as the 4-1 third choice in the 4th at the Big A on Thursday, a brutal maiden claiming affair with a 16K tag. Let's Get Going is the 7-5 favorite, and logically so, dropping off a good effort for 35K. Yourturntoyield, the second choice in the morning line, flashed speed against slightly better and comes in off a 2 1/2 month layoff.

As bad as it may look to the uninformed eye - a drop from 45K to 16K off a seven month layoff - I can tell you that there's nothing wrong with Highland Cat, other than the fact that he's slow. On the dirt, anyway. This particular partnership, originally intended as a pinhooking venture in September 2005, has not worked out for Castle Village, and I keep hearing the phrase "cut our losses." They don't want to wait another six weeks to run him on the grass, the surface on which he earned a 73 Beyer running second for 45K just two races back. We're certainly not going to get rich running in maiden claiming turf races given the purses in those affairs. They think he has a shot to win, and would gladly walk away with the 6K from the purse, some win tickets, and the claiming tag if somebody was so inclined. I don't see how anyone would be if they're just going by the Form; but hey, I'm putting it out there - the horse is fine, so do what you want!

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see him get another shot on the turf as his part-part-part owner, but there's certainly a case for moving on at this point. Personally, I think he's a better claim than a bet - I wouldn't wager on him with your money tomorrow (unless you happen to be Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum). I think it's most obvious watching his races that he backs off from the dirt in his face, and there's little reason to think he'll suddenly show early speed. On the other hand, he's certainly competitive on Beyers, and he's faced far better than this crew, so again, the Cat is in your court.