Betting With, and Against, Flashy Gem in the Likely Exchange Stakes

A nice field of 11 fillies and mares will travel one mile on the Turfway Park oval in Saturday’s $125,000 Likely Exchange S. The horse to beat is morning-line choice #8 Flashy Gem (5-2) for conditioner Brad Cox. Twice stakes placed in her career, the daughter of Bold d’Oro comes off a dominant allowance victory on the surface and will be dangerous with any kind of improvement off of her fine score. 

Flashy Gem – With

• $20 exacta 8 with 1,2 ($40)
• $1 trifecta 8 with 1,2 with all ($18)

Flashy Gem – Against

• $20 win and place #1 Silver Ticket ($40)
• $.50-cent trifecta 1,2 with 1,2,8 with all ($18)

Flashy Gem gave a fine account of herself at Turfway Park last season with a big allowance win which preceded a clear runner-up effort in the Bourbonette Oaks. The Kentucky-bred four-year-old has good early speed combined with a nice turn of foot, and she draws well to give Axel Concepcion options going into the first turn in the affair, as well. The talented bay will be a prominent figure from the early stages of the tilt. 

Todd Pletcher’s #1 Silver Ticket (9-2) is short on experience but long on talent after witnessing her pair of dominant wins on the All Weather at Gulfstream Park leading up to her stakes debut. The daughter of Curlin has won by a combined 10 lengths in two events in preparation for Saturday, and the $450,000 yearling purchase also has room for growth with just a trio of lifetime races to her credit, too. The Kentucky-bred gray has enough tactical speed to stay in range in the early going, as well as a powerful closing kick, and the rail post seems ideal to match her running style. Esimeal Jaramillo coming in to ride adds to her obvious appeal. 

#2 Catiche (4-1) was a convincing allowance winner here in her latest endeavor which was her first appearance following a long layoff and a barn change. Now in the hands of Michael Stidham, the Arrogate mare is stakes placed on the local strip and the $445,000 purchase has obvious room to move forward in her second outing off the shelf, as well. The Kentucky-bred bay has a versatile running style combined with a nice post to save ground to the top of the lane in this affair. Gerardo Corrales retains the ride atop the win contender.