How to bet the 2022 Princess Elizabeth Stakes

A field of 10 juvenile fillies will vie in Sunday’s C$250,000 Princess Elizabeth S. at Woodbine. The 1 1/16-mile affair on the all-weather oval attracted a solid bunch of prospects, but I eventually sided with morning-line favorite #6 Me and My Shadow (2-1) for conditioner Mark Casse.

Bred in Ontario, the daughter of Violence debuted on the surface in May and shook clear in the lane to post a four-length victory over five furlongs. The bay made her next appearance at Saratoga on the dirt when contesting the Schuylerville S. (G3), and she finished an even fourth after being in contention throughout.

Me and My Shadow is bred to love a route of ground, and I feel that she will prosper in her two-turn debut with Emma-Jayne Wilson in the stirrups. The $185,000 yearling purchase will be forcing the tempo from the opening bell as a formidable foe from the break.

The well-bred #8 Friends for Life (8-1) was a solid debut vixen on the course prior to checking in third in a recent turf stakes test for trainer Stuart Simon. By Silent Name, the Ontario-bred showed some improvement with the added distance last time out, and I expect her to take another step forward in her route debut.

Friends for Life has shown the ability to run well from near the lead and from well back, and that versatility will come in handy on Sunday. I don’t love the bay’s winning chances in the contest, but she could be an important piece for the vertical exotics. Regular rider Boulanger stays in the silks.

Natalma S. (G1) fourth #7 Wickenheiser (5-2) has registered a trio of solid races on the green in advance of her main-strip debut for Kevin Attard. The talented daughter of Lemon Drop Kid will appreciate the class drop on this occasion, and it’s worth noting that the May foal will also race with blinkers and Lasix for the first time, too. She is an obvious top-three threat with top gun Rafael Hernandez taking the reins for the initial time.

#3 Bijou Baby (10-1) moved forward in her second assignment while going a route of ground, and with another step forward, the Catherine Day Phillips pupil could surely make the frame at a fair price. Point of Entry filly is bred top and bottom to run all day, and she has posted a pair of solid five-furlong drills in anticipation of her initial stakes attempt. The bay gets Lasix and regular pilot Declan Carroll.

Princess Elizabeth Wagers

• $1 superfecta 6 with 3,7,8 with 3,7,8 with all ($42)
• 40-cent superfecta 6 with 3,7,8 with all with 3,7,8 ($16.80)