Aqueduct: How to bet the 2023 Maddie May Stakes

A six-pack of New York-bred sophomore fillies will contest the $100,000 Maddie May S. at Aqueduct on Sunday. The one-mile dirt affair features a lot of speedy types, and I will take a shot with a deep closer to upset the cast.

#4 Starry Midnight (6-1) made a fantastic late run on debut to capture a maiden special weight tilt on the surface in November, and was subsequently moved to the barn of Linda Rice. In her first attempt with winners, the daughter of Connect endured a wide voyage and never challenged in the Franklin Square S., but the miss will show marked improvement in her second for this outfit on Sunday.

The dark bay filly has not been especially swift out of the gate while drawing the rail in two sprint events, and the better post slot combined with the added ground will aid her on Sunday. She is bred to run long, and I expect her to trail the action early and make a big run into a fast pace in the stretch with Eric Cancel in the controls.

#6 I’mhavingamoment (9-5) was a sharp and professional winner at first asking on the surface in December for conditioner Bill Mott. Purchased for $495,000 as a yearling, the daughter of fine sire Uncle Mo was heavily backed in her unveiling to hint that she looks the part in her morning drills, and she will enter her stakes bow off the strength of a bullet half-mile move on Monday. The bay displayed good gate presence and a nice closing kick in her seven-eighths run, and she seems poised to improve with the added distance in this spot. Dylan Davis picks up the live mount.

The Rice-trained #5 Les Bon Temps (7-5) is the deserving morning-line choice in the group coming off a pair of black-type tallies in succession. The Laoban three-year-old was very good in her Maid of the Mist S. conquer on the oval two back, and she showed her versatility by rallying from behind numerous runners to bag the New York Stallion Series S. in her latest endeavor. The $65,000 yearling purchase looks like a top-three must-use to me with Jose Lezcano retaining the mount.

Maddie May Wagers

• $20 win: #4 Starry Midnight ($20)
• $5 exacta key box: 4 with 5,6 ($20)
• $2 trifecta box: 4,5,6 ($12)