How to bet the 2022 Dark Mirage Stakes

A total of seven fillies and mares will run one mile in Sunday’s $75,000 Dark Mirage S. at Los Alamitos. Conditioner Bob Baffert has a pair of fillies entered in the affair, including the $1 million purchase #4 Ganadora (6-5). I feel that the sophomore is a standout and will defeat this field in her second black-type try.

By Quality Road, the bay was a fantastic debut winner in February and followed that performance up with a game allowance score at Santa Anita. Kentucky-bred filly disputed the lead to the top of the stretch before being outrun in the Summertime Oaks (G2) most recently, but she takes a significant class drop on Sunday. The filly should be ready to roll following 12 morning drills in anticipation of this race, and she will have Juan Hernandez in the silks. She looks tough to go against in my opinion.

#5 Velvet Slippers (3-1), also from the Baffert shedrow, missed by a head when second in this race last campaign and is a very logical exotics contender while making her third local appearance. Also by Quality Road, the four-year-old ran like one who needed a start last time out when a distant third at Del Mar, but I love the quick comeback for her second race off the shelf. Ramon Vazquez will be in the silks and stalking the early tempo atop the win threat.

I have a lot of respect for the training abilities of conditioner Bill Spawr, so I will include #2 Midnight Jamboree (12-1) as a flier. The Midnight Lute mare doesn’t possess much back class, and her current form is not good, so why she lands in this spot is puzzling to me. She does add blinkers, however, and it’s possible that her connections have seen something in the mornings that had them go for this stakes event. The Kentucky-bred will be forwardly placed some in the early stages with Kyle Frey in the stirrups.

Dark Mirage Wagers

• $40 win #4 Ganadora ($40)
• $10 trifecta 4 with 5 with 2 ($10)