How to bet the 2023 Dowager Stakes

Nine fillies and mares will go 1 1/2 miles on the Keeneland lawn in Sunday’s $300,000 Dowager S. (G3). The grassy feature is led by a pair of major contenders from the barn of Graham Motion, and I expect his stable companions to be in control of the affair inside the final furlong.

Dowager Wagers

$6 exacta key box: 6 with 3,8 ($24)

$1 superfecta: 6 with 3,8 with 1,3,8 with all ($24) 

#6 Romagna Mia (6-1) was an even third in the Beverly D. S. (G1) in her U.S. debut and will get more ground to work with on Sunday. The Italian Group 2 heroine was forwardly placed but couldn’t quicken with the top pair late at Colonial Downs most recently, and the daughter of Mastercraftsman seems poised to improve with the added ground in her second run off the bench. John Velazquez will be in the irons and will have the four-year-old gray forwardly placed to some extent in the early stages of the race.

Motion’s #3 Vergara (9-5) annexed the Ladies Marathon S. (G3) in her latest performance and will be forcing the tempo from the opening bell under Joel Rosario. By Noble Mission, the $130,000 yearling buy has obvious class and consistency to her, although both of her recent stakes tallies have come over the unique surface at Kentucky Downs. Nonetheless, the Kentucky-bred four-year-old is a must-use in the grassy tilt while making her first local appearance.

Kenny McPeek’s #8 Lovely Princess (8-1) has been first or second in five of her last six outings, with the last trio coming in the stakes ranks. The dark bay daughter of Twirling Candy was a sharp runner-up in the Keertana S. at Churchill Downs three back in her lone try at 12 panels, and she will be a threat late against this field with something resembling that showing. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call.

I’ll also include #1 Henrietta Topham (20-1) as a flier with great value attached to her. Trained by Geoff Mulcahy, the Lemon Drop Kid mare is bred to like the distance and stretches out from a pair of one-mile races against stakes foes and could improve in this one. The Grade 3 heroine is perfectly drawn on the fence and will save ground throughout under James Graham.