How to bet the Fifth Avenue Stakes

A sizable field of 11 New York-bred juvenile fillies will go postward in Saturday’s $500,000 New York Stallion Series Fifth Avenue S. at Aqueduct. The seven-furlong dirt affair lacks a true standout and I will give the nod to recent Maid of the Mist S. vixen #1 Les Bon Temps (8-5).

The daughter of Laoban was a debut winner at Churchill Downs in May prior to registering a third-place finish in the Debutante S., which preceded a fourth-place result in the Seeking the Ante S. at Saratoga.

Les Bon Temps was then transferred from Norm Casse to the Mike Maker shedrow and delivered a third in the Joseph A. Gimma S. prior to picking up her first stakes trophy on this course in her latest endeavor.

She possesses both tactical speed and a nice turn of foot, and the bay should capitalize from having the rail post against this cast on Saturday. I expect her to be forwardly placed throughout with Jose Lezcano picking up the mount for the first time.

A horse of value that interests me is #8 Central Speed (12-1). Purchased for $80,000 in the spring, the daughter of Central Banker was a good third on debut despite a poor break and enduring some traffic, but she regressed last time out in a maiden special weight tilt when fading to sixth late. The John Terranova trainee obviously has some ability and I am willing to forgive her latest run and focus on her try at first asking.

Central Speed has posted two useful half-mile morning drills in advance of Saturday, and she figures to be in the second flight in the early going of the affair with Eric Cancel inheriting the ride.

#4 Midtown Lights (7-2) responded to both the change of surface, and the removal of blinkers, when graduating last time out for conditioner Brad Cox. The $150,000 Redesdale filly didn’t run all that swiftly over a sloppy, sealed strip most recently, but she did win in a professional manner and surely can be a major threat in the dash with even slight improvement on Saturday. The chestnut will be tracking the pace with intent from the early stages beneath regular pilot Javier Castellano.

Mark Hennig’s #2 Clover Street (12-1) displayed a solid turn of foot when third in the maiden ranks in her latest try and will be equipped with blinkers for the first time. The bay daughter of Teuflesberg is not a prime win candidate, but she can close in a field with ample early foot and makes a lot of sense as an exotics piece with Manny Franco taking the reins.

Fifth Avenue Selections

• Les Bon Temps
• Central Speed
• Midtown Lights

Fifth Avenue Wagers

• $30 win: #1 Les Bon Temps ($30)
• $5 trifecta: key 1 with 2, 4, 8 ($30)