Exotics Plays for the 2024 Jaipur Stakes

An overflow field of 16 turf dashers will jaunt 5 1/2 grassy panels on the Saratoga outer lawn in Saturday’s deep $500,000 Jaipur S. (G1). I rarely side with short-priced horses in fields of this nature, but #8 Cogburn (2-1) seems imposing to me. 

Jaipur Exotics

• $2 trifecta key 8 with 3,6,11,12 ($24)
• 50-cent trifecta 8 with 3,6,11,12 with all ($20)
• 10-cent superfecta 8 with 3,6,11,12 with 3,6,11,12 with all ($10.80)

I liked the Steve Asmussen trainee for the Turf Sprint (G2) at Churchill Downs in his seasonal debut, and he outran even my expectations with a splendid, 2 1/4-length romp on Derby Day when he looked like a winner every step of the race. The Not This Time five-year-old is 4-for-5 since moving to the turf, and he earned one of his most impressive wins on a soft course here in the summer in the Troy S. (G3), as well. He’s really exciting to me and will have Irad Ortiz Jr. in the silks once again. Moisture in the ground will aid his chances, too. 

#3 Dancing Buck (8-1) was a wire-to-wire winner of the Elusive Quality S. at Aqueduct in his return to Michelle Nevin, and he shows three good efforts in succession dating back to December. The six-year-old son of War Dancer has run well on the course in the past, and his five-length win in the 2022 Belmont Turf Sprint (G3) over a yielding surface is a huge plus for me. He is swift in a field without an abundance of early types in the group. 

Trainer Charlie Appleby has two Godolphin homebreds in the cast, and both seem very logical in the heat. #12 Mischief Magic (8-1) will race as a gelding for the initial time, and he doesn’t need a lot of improvement to be a major contender from off the pace. This Exceed and Excel four-year-old was third to Cogburn in his latest outing which followed a second in the Shakertown (G2) at Keeneland, and he will have William Buick in the controls. 

Group 2 victor #6 Star of Mystery (6-1) sports a 9-4-4-0 lifetime mark and comes off a strong second in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) at Meydan. The sophomore filly will face the boys in the dash, but she has done so in all four starts in 2024 and will not be overmatched by any means. This barn is sensational with shippers to the U. S. and I give most runners that Flavien Prat rides a chance to win, in general. 

#11 Filo Di Arianna (15-1) was second at Churchill behind Cogburn at 29-1 odds, but that was not a fluke performance. The Mark Casse trainee has a ton of back class and also has the versatility to adapt to any pace scenario. He’ll be included with Tyler Gaffalione getting the mount.