Betting With, and Against, She Feels Pretty in the Lake Placid Stakes

The Cherie DeVaux-trained #7 She Feels Pretty (2-1) is the deserving morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $200,000 Lake Placid S. (G2) at Saratoga. A winner of the Natlama S. (G1) in her penultimate start as a juvenile, the talented Karakontie filly closed out 2023 with a narrow third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. She has performed well in two runs as a three-year-old, too. 

She Feels Pretty – With

• $15 exacta 7 with 6,11 ($30)
• $1 trifecta key with 2,5,6,9,10,11 ($30)

She Feels Pretty – Against

• $2 trifecta 6,11 with 6,7,11 with 2,5,6,7,9,10,11 ($40)
• 50-cent trifecta 6,11 with 2,5,6,9,10,11 with 2,5,6,9,10,11 ($20)

Bred in the Bluegrass State, the Lael Stables color-bearer romped in the Hilltop S. at Pimlico to commence this campaign and was last seen finishing a strong third in the Belmont Oaks (G1) at a distance that is longer than her best. 

The $240,000 yearling purchase cuts back to 1 1/16 miles on this occasion and possesses the early foot to secure a good position in the inner turf tilt. The lass is proven over both firm and good surfaces, and the favorite retains pilot John Velazquez. 

For those looking for alternatives, there are plenty of talented fillies in the field with upset appeal, including a pair of potentially dangerous European imports. 

#11 Beautiful Love (4-1) was a daylight winner at Meydan over the winter in her most recent appearance and has posted five morning moves at this venue in advance of her stateside debut. The Charlie Appleby pupil could be any kind with Manny Franco in the silks. 

Christophe Clement will saddle #6 Les Reys (10-1) for the initial time, and the French invader comes off a pair of nice victories at Longchamp. The Penny’s Picnic gray has posted two useful morning moves on the lawn at the Oklahoma in preparation for Saturday, and fine turf rider Joel Rosario will be up. 

#9 Proctor Street (8-1) is an interesting contender coming off a fine allowance score on this surface in her second lifetime run for conditioner Brendan Walsh. The Street Sense sophomore might not get a great pace set up to aid a late burst, but she is talented and has room to improve. 

It seems foolish to ignore conditioner Chad Brown, as he has saddled three consecutive winners of the race as well as five of the last seven. I’m not in love with any of them as win contenders, but #2 Grayosh (8-1), #5 Spaliday (12-1), and #10 Dynamic Pricing (6-1) each has to be considered for vertical exotics.