Betting the Cotillion on a Budget
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Sweet Reason, shown winning the 2014 Acorn Stakes, could upset Untapable in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) on Saturday. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
While California Chrome’s return has rightfully grabbed horse racing headlines all week long, lost in all of the “Chromie” commotion is the showdown of America’s top 3-year-old fillies in the Grade I Cotillion Stakes.
Untapable’s well documented cruise through the spring campaign will lead to a short, short, short price. Sure, she faltered against the boys in the Haskell, but she’s back in the company she’s proven she’s the class of. For the sake of making a few dollars, we’ll look elsewhere to see if there are any legitimate contenders to crash the winner’s circle at Parx.
Stopchargingmaria (#9) enters in solid form on a three-stakes winning streak, but may struggle shortening up to the race’s 1 1/16 mile distance. I’m not saying she has no chance, but I don’t think this race suits her in the way her odds may reflect come post time.
When it comes to playing this race, the front-running Jojo Warrior (7) and especially the strong-closing Sweet Reason (2) present viable threats to steal the show from Untapable (8). Sweet Reason is a versatile filly that Irad Ortiz Jr. has ridden about as well as any jock can, putting her in a position to win each time out. As tactical as she appeared in her sweep of the Test and Acorn Stakes on the New York summer circuit, the addition of a second turn here could serve as a proper angle against her chances.
In Jojo’s perfect world, the West Coast speedster will take the lead and never look back. She’s making a step up in class, but Bob Baffert of all people wouldn’t be shipping her across the country without a realistic shot at victory.
With that said, I have a tough time denying that Untapable will make her presence known in some capacity.
$20 Budget Play
$2 Exacta Box: 2-7-8 ($12)
$4 Win/ Place: 2 ($8)
$1-million Cotillion StakesSaturday, Parx, Race 11, Post Time 4:45 p.m. ET1 1/16 miles, dirt, 3-year-old fillies
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M-L Odds
1
Cassatt
Kerwin Clark
122
Larry Jones
12-1
2
Sweet Reason
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
Leah Gyarmati
3-1
3
House Rules
Javier Castellano
119
Jimmy Jerkens
20-1
4
Joint Return
Kendrick Carmouche
119
John Servis
10-1
5
Vero Amore
Frankie Pennington
119
Robert Reid, Jr.
20-1
6
Little Alexis
Joel Rosario
119
Carlo Vaccarezza
20-1
7
Jojo Warrior
Martin Garcia
122
Bob Baffert
6-1
8
Untapable
Rosie Napravnik
124
Steve Asmussen
7-5
9
Stopchargingmaria
John Velazquez
124
Todd Pletcher
9-2
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