Exotics Plays for the Pennine Ridge Stakes

Seven sophomores will go postward in the competitive $200,000 Pennine Ridge S. (G2) on the Aqueduct lawn on Saturday. Trainer Chad Brown has a pair of contenders in the nine-furlong event, including impressive debut winner #3 Risk Tolerance (3-1). Bred in Ireland, the son of Kingman was unveiled on April 21 and left a fine impression on me when running down a clear leader en route to a measured win in a 12-horse cast.

Pennine Ridge Exotics

• $5 exacta key box: 3 with 5,7 ($20)
• 50-cent trifecta: 3,5,7 with 3,5,7 with all ($15)
• 50-cent superfecta: 3,5,7 with 3,5,7 with 3,5,7 with all ($12)

Risk Tolerance displayed a good measure of tactical speed on that occasion, which aided his chances, and he finished quickly when given his cue by pilot Manny Franco. Purchased for $309,000 as a yearling, the bay colt has posted a trio of works in the interim, and I feel that he will improve in his second lifetime appearance. The morning-line price seems short, but I can’t overlook the aggressive placement from a standout stable.

Bill Mott’s #5 Royal Majesty (5-1) has improved with each of his starts since arriving in the states and makes a lot of sense in the affair with another forward move. The Frankel filly closed with good energy to graduate at Gulfstream Park in January, and following a fifth in the Colonel Liam S. on the same course, the colt powered home to a convincing allowance triumph at Keeneland. The bay will have no trouble getting the nine panels with regular rider Junior Alvarado in the silks.

Todd Pletcher’s #7 Triple Espresso (4-1) has upped his Brisnet Speed figure with every career run to date and comes off of a solid fourth-place result in the Jeff Ruby S. (G3) at Turfway Park. By good young sire Omaha Beach, the $350,000 yearling buy was third in his lone prior run on the surface but is a better animal now, and he will be a major threat in the lane with Irad Ortiz Jr. taking the reins.

I do not like how Godolphin’s #2 Legend of Time (2-1) was dusted in the stretch of the American Turf (G2) on Kentucky Derby Day and will let him beat me on Saturday. He obviously has a lot of ability and wouldn’t be a surprise, but a short price on the colt isn’t appealing to me with Joel Rosario riding.