Stakes are high this weekend at Keeneland, Oaklawn and Laurel Park and 1/ST BET and Xpressbet provide extra incentive to give those highly visible races an even deeper look. Players on both platforms can take advantage of up to $10 back on win bets who finish second or third – providing some extra cushion in your calculations. Be sure to opt into the promotion in order to take part.
Here’s my dive into the 11 stakes races that are part of the money-back special.
Friday
Keeneland // Race 7 // $250,000 Limestone Stakes // 4:12 pm ET
Notable: Beyond the turf sprint dominance of trainer Wesley Ward, who is noticeably absent from the entries in the Limestone, the Rusty Arnold barn takes a back seat to no one in Keeneland grass dashes. The international pedigree for Arnold’s #5 Kodiac Wintergreen should come in handy after a week of rain will leave the course soft at best. Drawn beautifully and freshened for the return. Top play. Group 1 Queen Mary winner #10 Crimson Advocate would be no surprise, but will be an underlay price in her return.
Keeneland // Race 9 // $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes // 5:16 pm ET
Notable: Don’t see them beating #4 Master of the Seas, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Mile winner, back over a course in which he ran a dynamite race in last year’s Keeneland Turf Mile while a nose short. Softer ground plays to his European pedigree and experience. #5 Kubrick interests in that he’s sitting on a big race, should love the conditions and will be a solid price with a decent shot at second or third for the money-back if Master of the Seas proves too good.
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Saturday
Laurel // Race 4 // $100,000 Heavenly Cause Stakes // 2:01 pm ET
Notable: #3 Intrepid Dream will be heavily favored after 5 wins in her first 6 starts. But taking a shot to beat her isn’t a bad idea in this particular situation with only a field of 6 and getting money back on second or third-place finishes. #3 Too Many Kisses should be passing horses and will offer value exiting the Maryland-bred restricted ranks. Not a confident play among the sequence of races.
Laurel // Race 8 // $100,000 Primonetta Stakes // 4:05 pm ET
Notable: #7 Kant Hurry Love is a deserving favorite and highly reliable with 18 top-3 finishes in 21 career starts. Can’t fault her. Take the short price and feel confident she’ll hit the board for the refund even if dealt a surprising defeat.
Keeneland // Race 7 // $300,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes // 4:12 pm ET
Notable: Trainer Wesley Ward has owned this turf sprint of late with come-backing runners freshened for wintger like #12 Love Reigns. The far outside post in Keeneland turf sprints is successfully navigated more often that you’d think. #10 Breeze Easy could move up with expected course conditions on the soft side after rains much of the week. Love Reigns is most likely, but Breeze Easy offers more value and you get some margin for error with the promo.
Laurel // Race 9 // $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes // 4:35 pm ET
Notable: The favorites feel vulnerable as #1 Coastal Mission has done all his best work on the Charles Town oval, while 8-year-old #4 Royal Ship has plenty of class, but questions surrounding his readiness. He’s been away since July and moved to a conservative trainer in Graham Motion who typically won’t lean too hard on a horse like this on the comeback. #7 Prince of Jericho was brought back perfectly for this stakes bid, winning a local allowance over an easy distance. Notice his second start of his form cycle last year was a monster. Beware.
Oaklawn // Race 8 // $500,000 Count Fleet Stakes // 4:56 pm ET
Notable: #4 Skelly will be a deserving favorite and boasts a 6-for-8 success rate at Oaklawn. The question will be how much, if any, did a trip to Saudi Arabia tax this 5-year-old? #6 Tejano Twist is about as trustworthy as it gets for a top-3 placing over this track (7-for-7) and distance (13-for-14). He’s the play looking to upend Skelly with the benefit of money-back if he comes up just short.
Laurel // Race 10 // $100,000 Native Dancer Stakes // 5:08 pm ET
Notable: #5 Be Better has come from far back in recent starts, but is trustworthy to be picking up runners in the stretch. Among all of these 1-turn mile types in the field, he’s the horse best-suited for the 2-turn, 9-furlong venture. Confident top-3 play even if he runs out of real estate to get the victory.
Keeneland // Race 9 // $600,000 Jenny Wiley Stakes // 5:16 pm ET
Notable: Trainer Chad Brown sends out 4 runners in a stakes that his fillies and mares have crushed the competition in recent years. But separating that lot isn’t easy, much less which one will fire off extended layoffs. #3 Elusive Princess should be forwardly placed, got a perfect prep and figures to excel over the softer course conditions. That’s the play.
Keeneland // Race 10 // $400,000 Lexington Stakes // 5:48 Race
Notable: Expect a drying-out main track on Saturday that could be heavy, deep and demanding. Strong finishers #9 Liberal Arts and #8 Encino will be in high gear late and the ones to fear. Liberal Arts has a world of talent if he behaves early in the race, which was his demise in the Arkansas Derby. He’s the play, but I could take either of these and feel confidence.
Oaklawn // Race 11 // $1.25 million Apple Blossom Stakes // 6:46 pm ET
Notable: A solid pace in the Apple Blossom will give #2 Taxed every chance to pounce on the front-runners late under leading local rider Cristian Torres. She’s likely the fourth betting choice in the race and will offer great value. Taxed appears to be sitting on a career effort. #4 Adare Manor will be favored, but her record outside of California leaves some doubt for taking a short price.
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