How to bet the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper

The Jeff Mullins-trained #6 Jubilant Joanie (7-2) gets top billing in Saturday’s $100,000 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper S. at Churchill Downs. The one-mile dirt affair for fillies and mares attracted an overflow field of 16, but I think that the event comes down to just one. 

Glass Slipper Wagers

• $10 exacta 6 with 1,3,10 ($30)
• $4 exacta 1,3,10 with 6 ($12)
• $1 trifecta key 6 with 1,3,10 ($6) 

By Unified, the four-year-old has won five of her nine races since having blinkers removed, and she has also moved forward when stretching out in distance as of late, too. The dark bay filly won a pair of races with ease at Del Mar at eight panels this summer, and she finished second in a nice allowance heat at Santa Anita last time out while more than seven lengths clear of her nearest foe. 

Jubilant Joanie has speed, but she doesn’t need the lead in order to win, and the popular claim seems like a perfect fit for this particular race. Reylu Gutierrez will pilot the leading selection and have her forwardly placed to some extent from the opening bell. 

#3 Goodbetterbest (5-1) is an all-surface runner who has won or placed in at least nine of her last 10 appearances as of late. The four-year-old daughter of Collected has been runner-up in both of her lifetime runs at Churchill, and she has also been first or second in each of her trio of career tries at the distance, too. I’m not in love with the Victor Barboza, Jr. trainee to win the race, but she is too sharp right now to ignore with Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups. 

Michael Pino’s #1 Ambitiously Placed (9-2) comes in with wins in four in succession and is well drawn on the rail in hopes of running her streak to five. This Flat Out six-year-old possesses very good gate presence with plenty of early foot, and the Kentucky-bred mare will never be far back while saving ground early with Francisco Martinez in the irons. The bay is a very logical contender with a clean break from the gate.  

John Kirby’s #10 Kiss Me Hardy (15-1) has been in the exacta in five of six since being claimed by this barn and could be a danger from off the pace. The four-year-old daughter of Lord Nelson loves the distance and will be moving into contention as the field approaches the top of the lane under Brian Hernandez, Jr.