Betting With, and Against, Trademark in the 2023 Fayette Stakes

An overflow field of 14 will travel nine panels on the Keeneland main strip in Saturday’s $350,000 Fayette S. (G2). The Victoria Oliver-trained #10 Trademark (9-2), who missed by a head in the Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs most recently, is the lukewarm morning-line choice in the wildly competitive feature.

Trademark – With

• $1 trifecta 10 with 2,5,8 with all ($36)
• $1 trifecta 10 with all with 2,5,8 ($36)

Trademark – Against

• $.50-cent trifecta 2,5,8 with 2,5,8,10 with all ($54)
• $3 exacta box 2,5,8 ($18)

By Upstart, the four-year-old has elevated his game since the summer and brings fine form to Keeneland, where the gelding owns a first and second from four local tries. The peaking bay has always owned very good tactical foot, and the multiple stakes victor will be relatively forwardly placed once again to help overcome a potentially wide voyage from his post slot. Martin Garcia will once again guide the Kentucky-bred. 

#2 Happy American (15-1) is a powerful one-run closer on his best day who seems well spotted to make major noise in the event for trainer Neil Pessin. Runhappy five-year-old has not won since January, but he lands in a cast with a lot of early speed in the mix, and the bay also gets a fine post near the rail to save ground and makes his late push under regular rider James Graham. His best performance will put him in the mix late at a big price. 

Joe Sharp’s #5 Twilight Blue (15-1) is another longshot with a lot of appeal to me. The 2022 Fort Larned S. hero came off of a 13-month layoff to finish second in a strong allowance heat beneath the TwinSpires most recently, and the son of Air Force Blue will surely move forward in his second run back on Saturday. Kentucky-bred bay has been training well as of late and has been first or second in his last six appearances. I like the value he offers with Brian Hernandez Jr. retaining the mount. 

The Rob Atras-conditioned #8 Law Professor (8-1) finished a respectable third in the Woodward S. (G1) behind Zandon most recently and figures in this field with any kind of improvement while making his second local try. Constitution gelding has a versatile running style and the class to run with this cast, too. He moves forward if there is moisture in the ground with Florent Geroux in the irons.