How to bet the 2024 Dixie Belle Stakes

An octet of three-year-old fillies will dash six panels on the Oaklawn Park dirt in Saturday’s $150,000 Dixie Belle S. I’m leaning towards a pair of contenders in the field and will key them on top in my plays. 

Dixie Belle Wagers

• $3 trifecta 5,8 with 3,5,7,8 with 3,5,7,8 ($36)
• 50-cent superfecta 5,8 with 3,5,7,8 with 3,5,7,8 with all ($36)

I was impressed with professional debut winner #5 Ghalia Princess for conditioner Brad Cox, and I feel that the second timer might be a very nice prospect. The bay daughter of American Pharoah ran down a clear one late in her score at Fair Grounds, and she has trained well since, led by a swift half-mile drill leading up to this endeavor. Christian Torres will be in the silks and have the filly tracking the pace from the second flight in the early going. 

#8 Xtreme Diva showed a lot of heart in getting up for a recent allowance victory on the surface and drew perfectly on the outside for this affair. The Mac Robertson trainee earned a lifetime best Brisnet Speed number in her latest performance, and she will be tough if she moves forward even a little in her second 2024 run. The Minnesota-bred daughter of Coal Front will be in range approaching the turn for home under the guidance of Eduardo Gallardo. 

I’ll include a pair of additional fillies for the exotics, including likely pacesetter #3 Sharp Tune, for conditioner Steve Asmussen. The daughter of Frosted began her career with a pair of nice scores, and following an unplaced run at Churchill Downs in her third assignment, the bay led to late stretch en route to a third-place finish in the Mockingbird S. This homebred miss will likely be sent from the outset once again under Keith Asmussen. 

Mockingbird runner-up #7 Tanya Showers has displayed very good improvement since coming to Oaklawn and might be moving best of all in the stretch on Saturday. The Runhappy sophomore boasts a fine turn of foot and will be rallying late with Chris Landeros in the stirrups.