How to bet the 2024 Big Daddy Stakes

A very competitive field of eight will run six panels on the Turfway Park Tapeta surface in Saturday’s $125,000 Big Daddy S. I’ll use a few of the contenders in the dash, led by #2 Our Shot, who is due to break through and earn his initial black-type tally for conditioner John Terranova. The chestnut son of Kantharos will be making his first run of the season on Saturday, as well as his initial attempt over an All-Weather oval, and I expect him to thrive in this spot. 

Big Daddy Wagers

• $12 win and place #2 Our Shot ($24)
• $12 exacta box 2-8 ($24)
• $1 trifecta 2,8 with 2,5,8 with all ($24)

Bred in the Keystone State, the five-year-old has gotten close in three of his four prior stakes outings when earning placings in the Woodford S. (G2), Harvey Pack S., and Get Serious S. on the lawn in 2023. The chestnut has run well off of the layoff in the past and he figures to get first run on the deep closers on this occasion with Walter Rodriguez in the controls. 

Wesley Ward’s #8 Eye Witness was impressive in his two tries on the oval last year when winning in wire-to-wire fashion over maiden foes prior to dominating the Animal Kingdom S. at the six-furlong distance. The $650,000 son of City of Light gives the impression of a colt who will take a step forward as a four-year-old, and he has a lot of room for improvement with just six lifetime tries to his credit. His six morning drills at Turfway leading up to this give a lot of reason for optimism, too. Abel Cedillo will likely have him forwardly placed from the break. 

I love the late kick that #5 Candy Overload possesses and will tab him for a top-three finish for trainer Mark Casse. Third by a length in the race last campaign, he finished first or second in five of his seven synthetic races last season, and I expect him to put in his customary late burst against this cast which has some speedy types drawn to his inside. The lone potential concern is a gap in his recent morning drills, although I trust Casse and won’t make too much of that fact. The Reload gelding will have Axel Concepcion in the silks.