Three main contenders figure to attract the bulk of the support in this Franklin Square, and I strongly prefer one of them. Whether you’re looking at class lines or pace figures, FORGOTTEN HERO (4) is simply the horse they all have to catch and the one to beat. In my opinion, she deserves to be the clear favorite, yet she's the second choice in both double and pick-3 will-pays. I was impressed by this filly’s debut, when she rocketed to the lead out of the gate and never looked back. If anything, she improved in her second start, when she came through inside of Sassy Agnes to set a very fast pace before holding that heavily favored foe at bay through the lane.

While Forgotten Hero's last Beyer Speed Figure doesn’t stand out, her pace-adjusted TimeformUS Speed Figure for that effort was an eye-popping 112. No one else in this field has come close to that kind of number. Forgotten Hero has had some brief time off since that hard effort, but she’s worked well since, and I think she can pick up right where she left off.

I’m wary of her main rivals, Stonesintheroad (3) and Flush (6). The former rode a golden rail to victory last time out and is just not fast enough to challenge Forgotten Hero for the lead if both are sent. The Pace Projector shows Forgotten Hero clearly in front in the early stages. Stonesintheroad is probably going to be the favorite and I think she's one to bet against.

Flush (6) was visually impressive when winning her maiden, but I have serious doubts about the quality of that race and the legitimacy of the speed figures it received. When playing exotics, I would actually prefer to get Maiden Beauty (2) into the mix for second or third behind my top selection. This filly has a good closing kick in a race that should feature some pace and I actually like the turnback in distance for her, even though her most recent sprint effort was disappointing.

THE PLAY

Win: 4
Exacta Key Box: 4 with 2,3,6
Trifecta: 4 with 2,6 with 1,2,3,6