How to bet the 2023 Locust Grove Stakes

A deep field of 11 fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles over the main surface at Churchill Downs in Saturday’s $400,000 Locust Grove S. (G3). Three Grade 1 heroines will lead the way in the 1 1/16-mile affair, and I will focus a good portion of my plays with the trio. 

Locust Grove Wagers

• $15 exacta 7 with 4,10 ($30)
• $3 trifecta 7 with 4,10 with 2,3,4,10 ($18)
• $.50-cent superfecta key 7 with 2,3,4,10 ($12)

The Brad Cox-trained #7 A Mo Reay (5-1) looks to be the value of the race in my opinion and I will key the four-year-old on top in multiple wagers. Purchased for $400,000 In November, the Uncle Mo filly has blossomed under the care of her new connections and earned her greatest success when bagging the Beholder Mile S. (G1) at Santa Anita in March. 

She was a good fourth in the deep La Troienne S. (G1) two back on the surface, which preceded a third-place result while heavily backed in the Fleur de Lis S. (G2) at Ellis Park in her latest showing. A Mo Reay will appreciate the cut back in distance on Saturday, and she also figures to thrive with the shape of the race as her main foes are drawn inside of her, as well. Flavien Prat will guide the stalker. 

Grade 1 queen #4 Search Results (3-1) is the class of the field for conditioner Chad Brown. The Flatter mare has been running against the best of her division for a few years in succession with very good results to show for it, and she has been Grade 1-placed in each of her pair of outings on the oval, too. The Kentucky-bred five-year-old comes in fresh with some solid morning drills as of late and she has won or placed in all five of her previous assignments at the distance, too. The prime win candidate will have Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups. 

The underrated #10 Falconet (6-1) has bagged a trio of black-type races from her last five outings and had a fine prep when taking the Groupie Doll S. at Ellis Park most recently. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the four-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo was a stakes second in her latest local appearance and rates an obvious chance with Gerardo Corrales signed on for the ride. 

Asmussen’s Grade 1 victress #2 Pauline’s Pearl (5-1), and the consistently improving #3 Le Da Vida (7-2), will also make my exotics tickets.