Will Separationofpowers Be Beaten at Belmont?

Though she’s been made the 9-5 favorite in today’s Grade I Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park, I have some nagging doubts about Separationofpowers as she prepares to stamp her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Specifically, I’m never a fan of horses — especially young horses — that show regressing speed figures and late speed rations as the distances get longer, which is precisely the case with Chad Brown’s stable star.

After breaking her maiden in wire-to-wire fashion and earning an outstanding 96 Brisnet speed figure and -5 late speed ration on July 30, the daughter of Candy Ride made her stakes debut a month later in the Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Sarotoga, where she was made the 3-5 favorite.

But after contesting a much faster relative pace, Separationofpowers receded like a hairline at a high school reunion and finished third, earning a paltry 78 BSF and woeful -23 LSR in the process.

On the plus side, there is a very good chance that today’s pace won’t be quite as quick as the one in the Spinaway and Separationofpowers is bred to love a distance of ground, but a -23 LSR is really bad, even for 2-year-old fillies.

Barring huge improvement today, that number could catch up with Separationofpowers at Del Mar in November — if not today.

For free past performances for the Frizette Stakes, click HERE.