Warren’s Veneda the Value Play in Bayakoa

Warren's Veneda wins the Cat's Cradle Handicap. (Photo by Benoit Photo)
For Saturday’s running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course, I will key a horse in the top three spots for a trifecta play. I’ll surround my key horse with another three horses that I believe are the top contenders to complete the trifecta.
Horse to key:
#5 Warren’s Veneda: She always seems to try hard and some of her best efforts have been on a dirt surface. She was closing ground late and finished a close third, beaten by a half-length for the win at a shorter distance. There seems to be plenty of speed in this field to set up her closing kick. I like her morning line odds of 6-1.
Surrounding Horses:
#1 Yahilwa: Brings a two-race win streak into this race and draws a good inside post that should favor her early speed. She was a neck away from being a graded stakes winner and owns a win and a second at this distance on the main track.
#3 Tiz Midnight: This is another filly that has plenty of speed and has finished first or second in six of eight career starts. It will be interesting to see if she will be dueling for the lead with Yahilwa.
#6 Valiant Emilia: Made her United States debut in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, when only beating three of her 10 opponents. I expect her to show a much better performance against this easier field while making her second local start. I can see her sitting a stalking trip behind Yahilwa and Tiz Midnight. Her morning line odds are 4-1.
Trifecta plays keying Warren’s Veneda and using the surrounding horses:
$1 trifecta: 5 with 1,3,6 with 1,3,6 = $6
$1 trifecta: 1,3,6 with 5 with 1,3,6 = $6
$1 trifecta: 1,3,6 with 1,3,6 with 5 = $6
Total Bets = $18