How to bet the 2021 Alcibiades Stakes

A full field of 12 two-year-old fillies will take aim at the $400,000 Alcibiades S. (G1) at Keeneland on Friday. The “Win and You’re In” affair is a 1 1/16-mile test on the main surface for the ladies, with the winner earning an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar on November 5.

An ultra-competitive group of prospects will go postward in the opening-day feature and I will look for value with my top selection. I unsuccessfully tabbed #4 Dream Lith (15-1) for success in the Spinaway S. (G1) at Saratoga last time out, but I still feel that the lass has a ton of potential, and she rates as a must use to me at a robust morning-line number.

Trained by Robertino Diodoro, the dark bay daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was a sharp debut winner at The Spa on August 8 when obviously outrunning her 36-1 odds. Bred in the Bluegrass State, the March foal was outrun by the superb Echo Zulu most recently, but a ‘good’ surface that was playing especially well to early speed didn’t help her chances much when she made her stakes bow.

Dream Lith hails from a very solid female line that has a combination of brilliant speed and stamina, and I envision her handling two turns for the initial time quite well on Friday. In a field with ample early presence, the top pick figures to get a healthy pace to rally into with Adam Beschizza inheriting the mount.

Conditioner Brad Cox has a lively pair for the contest, led by #1 Juju’s Map (5-2). The $300,000 yearling purchase was a good second on debut behind a smart winner at 5 1/2 furlongs, prior to dominating on the stretch out in her second performance at Ellis Park.

The April foal earned a hefty 95 Brisnet Speed number for her graduating run, and any kind of improvement in her stakes debut will make her ultra-dangerous with go-to rider Florent Geroux in the silks.

Godolphin homebred #7 Matareya (4-1) and Our Dear Peg S. queen #11 Diamond Wow (8-1), are the other two major contenders that will make some of my tickets.

Alcibiades Stakes Wagers

• $10 win and place #4 Dream Lith ($20)
• $10 exacta box 1-4 ($20)
• 50-cent trifecta 1 with 4, 7, 11 with all ($15)