How to bet the 2023 One Dreamer Stakes

A total of nine fillies and mares will go one mile and 70 yards on the Kentucky Downs lawn in Thursday’s $500,000 One Dreamer S. In a race with an abundance of horses that prefer to be in the mix from the start, I will tab a late runner to upset the field at the wire.

One Dreamer Wager

$10 exacta key box: 9 with 4,5 ($40)

$3 trifecta box: 4,5,9 ($18)

The Graham Motion-trained #9 Candy Light (10-1) has yet to break through with a stakes victory on the green, but the talented daughter of Candy Ride is well spotted in this affair with Joel Rosario taking the reins. She endured a solid three-year-old campaign which was led by a win in the Tropical Park Oaks on the All-Weather at Gulfstream Park, and the filly seems to be rounding up to her best effort in this spot while making her fourth start of the season.

Candy Light has had excuses for her last two performances and presents a lot of value while making her local bow. I envision the Kentucky-bred to sit at the back of the pack early before putting in her winning run at a nice price.

Chad Brown’s #4 Haughty (4-1) was very sharp at two and three but has yet to build upon that momentum in 2023 leading up to Thursday. The Grade-2 winning daughter of Empire Maker ran an even one at Saratoga last time out in a tough field, and she will improve while making her initial run on the local lawn with Tyler Gaffalione in the silks. The bay filly has dominated both of her races with some give in the ground in the past, so she rates a major chance if there is moisture in the lawn on this day.

Group 3 vixen #5 Viareggio (5-1) gives me the impression of a filly who is sitting on a big race for conditioner Brendan Walsh. This Caravaggio four-year-old was a nice allowance winner at Keeneland in her stateside bow, which preceded a solid fourth-place result in the Gamely S. (G1) at Santa Anita. The Irish bred stayed on well when two lengths back at Delaware Park most recently while traveling 1 3/8 miles over soft going, and the cutback in distance will benefit the bay in this endeavor. Irad Ortiz taking the reins adds to her appeal, too.