How to bet the Jockey Club Oaks

A field of seven sophomore fillies will run 1 3/8 miles on the Aqueduct turf in Saturday’s $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks S. (G3). Conditioner Charles Appleby has not been as "automatic" with imports this year compared to the past few seasons, but I feel that he has the one to beat in the affair with #6 Eternal Hope (1-1).

Jockey Club Oaks Wagers

• $10 exacta: 6 with 2,7 ($20)
• $10 trifecta: key 6 with 2,7 ($20)
• $3 trifecta box: 2,6,7 ($18)

The Godolphin homebred has won or placed in four of her five career tries to date, with her lone unplaced performance coming in the Epsom Oaks (G1). By Teofilo, the chestnut was last seen finishing a good third in a Group 2 contest at Deauville at 10 furlongs and will have no trouble enduring the 1 3/8 miles in her U.S. debut. Jamie Spencer taking the reins atop the three-year-old is a positive sign, as well.

I’ll use two horses underneath the top selection, including #2 Quarrel (8-1) for conditioner Robert Ribaudo. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Speightstown led at every call in an allowance tilt at Saratoga most recently in a second run with the blinkers on, and the chestnut could be controlling speed in this event as well with Jose Ortiz in the stirrups. She broke her maiden on this course, and the sophomore will be a square price, too.

Group 3 victress #7 Speirling Beag (5-1) has given a good account of herself in each of her pair of assignments since coming to the states and wouldn’t be a total surprise despite drawing widest of all in the race. Conditioned by Graham Motion, the three-year-old Mastercraftsman filly was beaten by 2 3/4 lengths in the Belmont Oaks (G1), which preceded a nose setback in a black-type tussle at Laurel Park at 1 1/16 miles last time out. The Irish-bred chestnut will appreciate the added ground with which to work with on Saturday and will stalk the pace to the top of the lane under the guidance of Manny Franco.