How to bet the Lake Huron Stakes

Kicking off a card with a stakes race is not especially common, but I love it. The Sunday opener at Woodbine will see a handful of sophomores dash five panels on the inner turf course in the $100,000 Lake Huron S. This is a competitive heat despite the six of the cast. 

#1 Yacht Boy (3-1) is a solid number in the five-horse group and worth a win wager if the odds are close to his morning-line number at post time. The dark bay son of Old Forester was unplaced in three of his four stakes races as a juvenile but has improved in 2024. This Ontario-bred was transferred to the barn of the always dangerous Robert Tiller to commence the season and he raced without blinkers for the initial time in May, finishing a nice second off the shelf. The top pick was a dominant winner on the synthetic in his second run off the break, and I expect him to handle the move to the green easily. 

The inside post is a benefit on the tighter course, and Yacht Boy possesses the early speed to be involved from the opening bell in the heat, too. Ryan Munger inherits the mount. 

Kazushi Kimura opts to retain the mount on debut winner #2 Live Lucky (2-1) and I’m paying attention to that. By Perfect Timber, the dark bay colt was a very nice debut victor on the course and at the trip on June 9 and has posted a pair of swift morning drills in the interim. Trained by Kevin Attard, the $55,000 yearling purchase is from an excellent female line and is a half-brother to a Group 2 winner on the green as well. He tracked the tempo from near midpack in his initial offering prior to dominating in the lane, and the Ontario-bred might be a very nice prospect going forward. 

#3 Junior Hot Shot (5-2) ran into a really good one last time in the Queenston S. last time and moves to the green for this outing for trainer John Ross. The stakes-placed son of Souper Speedy is kin to a turf winner, and he has a bit of class to him in advance of his third run of 2024. The colt has pace and might be the one to run down in the lane if sent from the break by Justin Stein. He is a most logical top-three inclusion. 

Lake Huron Wagers:

$20 trifecta 1 with 2 with 3 ($20)
$10 trifecta 1 with 3 with 2 ($10)
$5 trifecta 1,2 with 1,2 with 3 ($10)