How to bet the 2024 Dust Commander Stakes

A talented cast of nine will go postward in Saturday’s $125,000 Dust Commander S. at Turfway Park. The All-Weather feature attracted a nice cast of synthetic specialists and will provide an exciting finish to the race. 

Dust Commander Wagers

• $10 exacta key box 4 with 1,5 ($40)
• $2 trifecta box 1,4,5 ($12)

#4 Surly Furious showed a new dimension last time when leading at nearly every call in a strong allowance tilt at 6 1/2 furlongs most recently, but I expect the six-year-old to be a bit more relaxed in the early stages of this one in a field with plenty of pace in the fold. Trained by Glenn Wismer, the son of Upstart has registered a trio of very good runs in succession at this meeting, and he has also won seven of his 14 lifetime runs on the all-weather in his career, as well. 

The Kentucky-bred bay earned a hefty 107 Brisnet Late Pace number when second in an allowance tilt on the oval two back at the distance, and he is proven to be more than capable of routing in the past. I’m expecting a fair price on the top pick with Abel Cedillo in the irons. 

#5 Transect began his career with a pair of tallies on this oval for conditioner Paulo Lobo. The $300,000 son of Gun Runner concluded his sophomore season with a fine second-place finish in the Ellis Park Derby, and the chestnut has fired bullets in six of his seven morning drills leading up to Saturday, as well. The Kentucky-bred four-year-old will be forwardly placed in his return to Turfway with Luan Machado in the silks. 

Stakes winner #1 Wizard of Westwood gets the rail for his first run of the season and has to be included for Mike McCarthy. The talented son of Tu Brutus has faced stakes foes in six of his eight career tries to date, and he was a dominant victor in his two runs outside of black-type foes. The four-year-old colt does his best work when forcing the early tempo, and he will be a formidable foe if capable of securing a sensible trip beneath Gerardo Corrales.