How to bet the 2023 Mistletoe Stakes
Oaklawn Park (Photo by Coady Photography)
December 7th, 2023
A total of 11 fillies and mares will go postward in Saturday’s $150,000 Mistletoe S. at Oaklawn Park. The wide-open affair features numerous legitimate win threats in what will be an exciting run to the wire in the one-mile affair.
Mistletoe Wagers
I’m not sure if #10 Ice Orchid is the best win contender in the event, but the four-year-old brings good form to the field and also possesses the right running style. Trained by John Ortiz, the dark bay Kentucky-bred put in a pair of good stakes tries at this locale earlier in the season, and she is a head shy of posting a pair of wins in succession as of late, as well.
This Super Saver four-year-old has performed well in each of her quartet of assignments at the trip, and she also shows a trio of recent morning moves on the oval leading up to Saturday, too. The filly will sit a few lengths off of a contested early pace and get first run on the deeper closing types with Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the silks.
Steve Hobby’s #6 Coastal Charm is three-for-five on the surface and comes in fresh as a logical threat in the affair. The Ghostzapper chestnut is a stakes heroine on the oval, and if she can rate a bit in the early going of the tilt, then the four-year-old will be very dangerous with something resembling her top effort. The filly was a winner the last time she ran off of a similar type of layoff, and she will be forwardly placed with regular rider Martin Garcia up.
Mike Maker’s #2 Misty Veil has been facing much better as of late and will appreciate the measure of class relief in her Oaklawn return. The Tonalist mare is far from a win machine, but she has compiled a smart 6-2-2-1 mark at Oaklawn and figures to improve in her second appearance off the short absence. The five-year-old chestnut will save ground early on from a good post slot before being asked for her best under the guidance of Isaac Castillo.
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