Exotics Plays for the 2023 Starlet Stakes

A total of six two-year-old fillies will run 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos in Saturday’s $200,000 Starlet S. (G2). Conditioner Bob Baffert has saddled the winner of this affair in six straight seasons and will send a pair of contenders postward in hopes of eclipsing the race for a seventh consecutive campaign. 

Starlet Exotics

$25 exacta 6 with 1 ($25)
$15 exacta 6 with 5 ($15)
$6 trifecta key 6 with 1,5 ($12)

#6 Grazia was bet down to minuscule 2-5 odds on debut and lived up to the hype when posting a 3 1/4-length win at Del Mar in a six-furlong dash. The bay daughter of Uncle Mo has posted a pair of solid morning moves in the interim and seems poised to improve with the added ground in the contest. This Kentucky-bred filly, who brought $350,000 as a yearling, is cut out to be a route runner and will have clear sailing throughout in the event after being assigned the outside post position. I expect the second-time starter to force the pace from the opening bell with Flavien Prat picking up the mount. 

Baffert’s #1 Nothing Like You was a game winner of the Desi Arnaz S. in her latest offering and comes in with victories in two straight. The Malibu Moon filly has displayed steady improvement in her last trio of offerings and broke her maiden by open lengths the lone time that the Kentucky bred went a route of ground, as well. The $190,000 juvenile purchase has never been better and merits a lot of respect in the tilt with Juan Hernandez retaining the ride. 

Chandelier S. (G2) queen #5 Chatalas was never a factor in the recent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) following a poor break, but the Mark Glatt trainee is obviously very talented and is a prime top-three threat in the race. The daughter of Gun Runner was strong late in her first route outing and shows a pair of nice morning drills leading up to Saturday to hint that she will run her best on this occasion. The February foal has the gate presence to be on the lead, or forcing the pace early on, and I expect her to be in a fine spot approaching the turn for home with Antonio Fresu in the stirrups.