How to bet the 2022 John C. Mabee Stakes

Grade 1 heroine #5 Going Global (4-5) headlines a field of seven for Saturday’s $250,000 John C. Mabee S. (G2) at Del Mar on Saturday. The 1 1/8-mile grassy affair features a trio of major players from the Phil D’Amato barn, and I feel that he will dominate the results of the race.

Going Global has to be considered among the top turf distaffers on the West Coast for her outstanding accomplishments over the past two seasons. A winner in three of four local assignments to date, the Mehmas four-year-old was a dominant victress of the Yellow Ribbon (G2) over a few of these last time out, and she has room for further improvement while making just her second run since May.

The classy four-year-old is 8-for-11 dating back to 2021 and has the versatility to adapt to any pace scenario, as well. I don’t love the expected miniscule price on the Irish-bred, but I can’t go against her, nonetheless. Umberto Rispoli will be back in the saddle atop the standout bay.

Grade 1 queen #1 Going to Vegas (5-2) has not been seen since her smart runner-up performance in the Gamely S. (G1) while making her first run for D’Amato. The Goldencents mare has been first or second in six of her seven career races to date and has also done well at Del Mar, where she boasts a solid 8-2-2-2 lifetime line.

The five-year-old bay brings both early speed and top pilot Flavien Prat to the scene, but I fear that she could get a bit tired late in a cast with ample early foot signed on. If the Kentucky-bred gets a favorable voyage from the hedge, then she can obviously be a major player in the lane with her best showing.

Multiple stakes victress #3 Avenue de France (6-1) has a fine late burst and will benefit from the expected fast early tempo with Juan Hernandez up. The five-year-old dark bay came home a clear second in the Yellow Ribbon most recently, and she has never missed the board from six career outings on the Del Mar lawn. The Cityscape mare makes her third run since the spring and could be very dangerous late with improvement for Leonard Powell.

Mabee Wagers

• $35 exacta: 5 with 1 ($35)
• $15 exacta: 5 with 3 ($15)