How to bet the 2023 John C. Mabee Stakes

A compact field of six fillies and mares will run 1 1/8 miles on the Del Mar lawn in Saturday’s $250,000 John C. Mabee S. (G2). Conditioner Leonard Powell has endured a fine meeting to this point, and he will add to his local success with #5 Neige Blanche (5-2) in the affair. The six-year-old daughter of Anodin is a multiple graded stakes heroine with a nose for the wire, evidenced by her 10-for-23 career mark, which includes a pair of nice victories on the Del Mar green.

John Mabee Wagers

• $20 exacta: 5 with 3,4 ($40)
• $5 exacta: 3,4 with 5 ($10)

The French-bred chestnut finished a good third in her second run off the shelf most recently and could peak while making a third run off the layoff on this occasion. Purchased for $485,000 in November, the top selection possesses tactical foot in a field lacking speed, and I expect her to get a good trip while always close to the tempo in the event with Diego Herrera in the stirrups.

Yellow Ribbon (G2) starlet #4 Closing Remarks (9-5) came through late last time out and rates an obvious chance right back in another winnable spot for the Carla Gaines trainee. The five-year-old daughter of Vronsky sports a solid 4-2-1-0 local mark, and the mare has also won or placed in four of her six lifetime tries at the distance, as well. The California-bred chestnut is quite consistent in general, and she did display more early interest in her latest venture, which will serve her well in this spot. The talented turf pilot Umberto Rispoli will be in the silks once again.

Of the two from the Phil D’Amato shedrow, I prefer #3 Oakhurst (4-1). The dark bay daughter of Mr. Speaker impressed me with a fast-closing allowance score on the course and at the distance most recently, and any improvement in her second run off the bench will see her challenging late on Saturday. The four-year-old sped a bullet five-eighths on the local turf on Sunday and seems poised to give a good account of herself with top pilot Juan Hernandez inheriting the mount.