Betting With, and Against, La Cara in the Suncoast Stakes

A total of eight sophomore fillies will travel one mile and 40 yards over the Tampa Bay Downs dirt on Saturday in a solid rendition of the $150,000 Suncoast S. The two-turn test features six horses that are coming off of wins most recently, but the morning-line choice exits a fifth-place result in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies S. (G1). 

La Cara – With

• $6 trifecta 6 with 3,4 with 2,3,4 ($24)
• $3 superfecta key 6 with 2,3,4 ($18)

La Cara – Against

• $2 trifecta 3,4 with 2,3,4,6 with 2,3,4,6 ($24)
• 30-cent superfecta 3,4 with 2,3,4,6 with 2,3,4,6 with all ($18)

Pocahontas S. (G3) queen #6 La Cara (2-1) will make her 2025 debut in this spot for conditioner Mark Casse and rates a big chance with her best performance. By Street Sense, the Tracy Farmer homebred broke through in her fourth lifetime effort when dominating maiden foes at Saratoga, and she followed that up with her graded coup beneath the Twin Spires in her penultimate start as a juvenile. The bay can be effective from on or off the pace, and she has posted a long string of good morning moves in advance of Saturday, as well. Dylan Davis inherits the mount. 

#3 Italian Soiree (7-2) has a lot of appeal to me in her seasonal bow for conditioner John Terranova. Purchased for $600,000 as a two-year-old, the filly romped in her debut performance at Aqueduct prior to finishing a clear second in the Adirondack S. (G3) at The Spa second time out. In her last pair of runs, the Kentucky-bred ran evenly on the lawn with graded company and I like that she will return to the dirt for her sophomore bow. She is training in good fashion, will wear blinkers for the first time, and also picks up Flavien Prat, too. 

#4 Her Laugh (5-2) has done little wrong from two lifetime showings for trainer Whitworth Beckman. The Practical Joke homebred graduated at first asking at Churchill Downs in November, prior to leading throughout in the Untapable S. at Fair Grounds in her juvenile finale. She could be any kind going forward, and the chestnut has to be considered a serious win threat with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the stirrups. 

I feel that #2 Dancing Magic (8-1) is a lively exotics piece if one of the top three falters for trainer Michael Campbell. This Good Magic filly has good form leading up to this affair, led by a triumph in the Gasparilla S. on the oval most recently, and I expect her to appreciate going two turns for the initial time. I prefer others in the top slot, but the chestnut surely merits inclusion in the vertical exotics beneath Junior Alvarado.