How to bet the 2023 Solana Beach Stakes

A total of six California-bred fillies and mares will vie in Sunday’s $150,000 Solana Beach S. The one-mile turf affair attracted a nice group and I feel that the trio of morning-line choices will be tough to upend in the contest.

Solana Beach Wager

$10 exacta key box 6 with 1,3 ($40)

#6 Ultimate Hy (3-1) captured an allowance race most recently and defeated a nice prospect in the process for conditioner Carla Gaines. By Hamish Hy, the six-year-old had been stuck at that level for some time prior to her score on the course, and the mare could make noise right back in a field lacking a ton of depth. The gray has won or placed in all but one career endeavor on the Del Mar sod in her lifetime and will be doing her best work from off of the early tempo with Umberto Rispoli in the silks.

The one to beat is #3 Eddie's New Dream (9-5), who comes off a fine try when a nose second in a solid allowance encounter on the oval last time out. Trained by Ben Cecil, the consistently good Square Eddie gray has won or placed in at least nine of her last 10 appearances, and she is a proven stakes competitor who missed by a head in the race as the favorite in 2022. The gray mare can adapt to any pace scenario and I consider her to be a must use with Kent Desormeaux in the silks.

Multiple stakes heroine #1 Rose Maddox (2-1) has speed, class, and the rail while coming in fresh for trainer Steve Miyadi. The four-year-old daughter of Grazen has yet to run over the Del Mar green, but she shows a 3-1-2-0 mark at the distance and exits a quartet of stakes tries in succession. The gray filly has posted three solid morning drills at this venue to prepare for Sunday, and the tactical lass figures to save ground while always in striking range in the race, as well. Top pilot Juan Hernandez will guide the talented win threat who has finished first or second in 13 of 16 career assignments to date.