Exotics Plays for the 2022 Matt Winn Stakes

Seven sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Churchill Downs main strip in Sunday’s $225,000 Matt Winn S. (G3). Arkansas Derby (G1) star #6 Cyberknife (8-5) is the morning-line choice for conditioner Brad Cox, and I feel that the race will go through the talented three-year-old.

Cyberknife broke his maiden at this distance at Fair Grounds in his juvenile finale and finished unplaced in the Lecomte (G3) to commence 2022. The chestnut colt followed his initial off-the-board finish with a sharp allowance tally, which was followed by his major success at Oaklawn Park. In his most recent endeavor, the son of Gun Runner tired in the lane to finish well back in the Kentucky Derby.

The Kentucky-bred shows a trio of solid morning moves in the interim and will appreciate both the class relief, and the cut back in distance, on this occasion. He possesses natural early speed and figures to sit a very good trip prompting the pace from the break on Sunday. Regular pilot Florent Geroux will be in the silks once again.

#2 Tough to Tame (12-1) is a bit underrated, in my opinion, and could make a lot of noise at a nice price in the tilt. Trained by Christopher Davis, the Speightster colt has put in a pair of solid efforts in 2022 and could be peaking for his third assignment of the season. The chestnut ran huge in his lone local showing when runner-up in the Iroquois on the oval in the fall, and he has been first or second in all but one of his career attempts to date. Jose Lopez retains the mount.

#1 Trafalgar (12-1) has run into standouts Epicenter and Jack Christopher in his last two races and will appreciate avoiding that duo on this day. The Al Stall trainee draws well on the fence and has performed well over the course in the past when impressively breaking his maiden beneath the Twin Spires in October. The dark bay son of Lord Nelson has some positional speed, and if he stays within range to the top of the lane, then I could envision him challenging late at a big number. Colby Hernandez will be in the stirrups.

Matt Winn Exotics Wagers

• $5 exacta key box: 6 with 1,2 ($20)
• $2 trifecta: 6 with 1,2 with all ($20)
• $1 trifecta: 6 with all with 1,2 ($10)
• $.50-cent superfecta: 6 with 1,2 with 1,2 with all ($4)
• $.50-cent superfecta: 6 with 1,2 with all with 1,2 ($4)