There’s a compelling argument for why #3 Talented Star (2-5) is considered the frontrunner in Friday’s $650,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes, commencing the Keeneland fall meet: she exhibits exceptional speed compared to her competitors.
Talented Star boasts the two highest Brisnet Speed figures and the two highest Beyer Speed ratings among the six contenders in this Grade 1 event for 2-year-old fillies. These impressive numbers were achieved during two straightforward victories at Saratoga during the summer season. Initially, she dominated a maiden special weight race, winning by 3 3/4 lengths against a subsequent winner. Following that, she convincingly outperformed the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes field by 6 1/2 lengths.
There’s little indication that Talented Star will struggle in the Alcibiades. One potential challenge is the fact that she will be running a two-turn race for the first time, but being a daughter of the prominent sire Into Mischief and the Pioneerof the Nile mare Mother Mother, Talented Star’s lineage suggests she will excel at the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Alcibiades.
In essence, we suggest that bettors place their confidence in Talented Star to secure her third consecutive victory. However, given the likely low payout for a win bet on Talented Star, we should explore exotic wagers such as the exacta (selecting the top two finishers in the correct order) and the trifecta (selecting the top three finishers in the correct order) to increase potential returns.
Which fillies should we consider for the minor placings behind Talented Star? Definitely #1 Ace’s Tavern (3-1), our strong second choice. Ace’s Tavern started her career with consecutive wins in Kentucky (including an impressive five-length victory in the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs), before heading to Saratoga for the Spinaway. Ace’s Tavern couldn’t match Talented Star, but she was clearly superior to the rest, finishing second and ahead of the third-place finisher by 4 3/4 lengths.
For the third spot, include #2 Proceed to Victory (20-1) and #4 The Cranky Rodent (12-1), both trained by Kenny McPeek. They are both coming off maiden special weight wins at one mile at Ellis Park, and they have secured the services of Eclipse Award-winning jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and Flavien Prat, respectively.
Betting Plan with a $10 Budget
$10 exacta: 3 with 1
Instructions for the betting window: Keeneland, 9th race, $10 exacta 3 with 1
Betting Plan with a $30 Budget
$20 exacta: 3 with 1
Instructions for the betting window: Keeneland, 9th race, $20 exacta 3 with 1
$5 trifecta: 3 with 1 with 4,5 (total cost: $10)
Instructions for the betting window: Keeneland, 9th race, $5 trifecta 3 with 1 with 4,5
Best of luck, and enjoy the excitement of the race!
