How to bet the Golden Rod Stakes

A competitive field of eight two-year-old fillies will go 1 1/16 miles on the Churchill Downs dirt in Saturday’s $300,000 Golden Rod S. (G2). The “2020 Road to the Kentucky Oaks” showdown will offer points to the top four finishers with a 10-4-2-1 structure.

Golden Rod Stakes Analysis

His Glory led in wire-to-wire fashion on the surface most recently and will be sent to gain the edge early on. Finite has speed from the rail, and I also expect Bean to be forwardly placed in her route debut.

The early pace should be healthy, setting things up well for late runners She Can’t Sing, Turtle Trax and Motu.

Golden Rod Stakes Wagers

• $10 WPS #8 Motu = $30
• $5 Exacta Key Box 8 with 1,2 = $20

Golden Rod Stakes contenders and morning line odds

#1 FINITE (7-5) -- Munnings filly was most impressive with a going-away win in the Rags to Riches S. on the surface in preparation of her graded debut. $200,000 juvenile purchase aced her route test last time out and draws well on the rail for Asmussen. The top contender will have Ricardo Santana Jr. in the controls.

#2 TURTLE TRAX (6-1) -- Improving sort has rolled home to win in two straight for Ian Wilkes. Cairo Prince filly stretches out for the initial time today, and she gets a post draw near the rail after being parked wide in her first three. Leparoux will guide the talented prospect.

#3 SHE CAN’T SING (8-1) -- Chris Block pupil looked the part in her dirt bow most recently with a daylight tally on the oval. Bernardini filly earned a hefty 108 BRIS Late Pace figure and has trained forwardly since. Corey Lanerie inherits the mount.

#4 BEAN (12-1) -- Wildcard in the cast lost her jockey in a dirt debut locally. Stakes-placed filly was sharp in a pair of synthetic sprints to start her career, and I will not take her lightly in her graded and route debut. Florent Geroux will guide the $340,000 purchase.

#5 LADY GLAMOUR (12-1) -- Rags to Riches runner-up was never getting to the winner, but she did give a nice account of herself going long. Discreet Cat filly could vie for a minor award with improvement beneath Julie Burke.

#6 HIS GLORY (7-2) -- Pocahontas S. (G2) runner-up tuned up for this assignment with a facile, wire-to-wire allowance tally at Churchill Downs. Amoss trainee loves this surface and is a threat to lead at every call on Saturday.

#7 IVYETSU (12-1) -- Rusty Arnold pupil rolled home a 5 3/4-length maiden graduate at this distance here in advance of her stakes debut. Tapit filly is cut out to run all day, and she rates as a very interesting long-term prospect.

#8 MOTU (5-1) -- Daughter of Paynter graduated in style at Keeneland two prior, and she returned to run second in a local allowance race behind a wire-to-wire winner. Kentucky-bred has a nice turn of foot and gets the nod to run them down late under Brian Hernandez Jr.