How to bet the 2024 Mockingbird Stakes

A total of six three-year-old fillies will jaunt six panels on the Oaklawn Park oval in Saturday’s $150,000 Mockingbird S. The Steve Asmussen-trained #2 Sharp Tune was forwardly placed before tiring in the lane behind a pair of fine fillies in the Fern Creek S. in her stakes bow last time out and will make major improvement off the short layoff in this endeavor. 

Mockingbird Wagers

• $20 win #2 Sharp Tune ($20)
• $10 exacta box 1-2 ($20)
• $5 trifecta key 2 with 1,6 ($10)

By Frosted, the homebred was a facile debut winner beneath the Twin Spires in May, and she made it two in succession when toppling allowance foes at Churchill Downs in her return on October 29. The talented prospect has trained forwardly in the interim, and in a race lacking early foot, I envision the bay taking command of the race soon after the start with Keith Asmussen taking the reins. Sharp Tune rates as a very logical wire-to-wire candidate in the dash. 

I will use a pair of runners underneath the leading selection, led by #1 Midshipman’s Dance, who I consider to be the main threat to the leading pick. The $150,000 yearling purchase didn’t flash a lot of gate speed in her unveiling, but the bay displayed a fine late rally to win at first asking like a runner with a bright future. Now in the hands of Robertino Diodoro, the filly was doing her best work late, and with a better break from the gate on Saturday, the Kentucky bred will be a difficult beat with a forward move off of her latest showing. Christian Torres stays in the silks and will have the lass saving ground early on. 

Chris Hartman’s #6 Tanya Showers put in a fine late run to graduate while making her local debut last time out and could grab a share in the stretch of this one with a forward move. By Runhappy, the $125,000 juvenile purchase has consistently done her best work inside the final furlong in each of her four lifetime efforts to date, and the dark bay will have no trouble with a draw outside of her foes here, as well. This Kentucky-bred sophomore will take back and make one run with Chris Landeros taking the reins.