How to bet the Noble Damsel Stakes

The $175,000 Noble Damsel S. (G3) at Aqueduct attracted 11 fillies and mares, with two being main-track-only entrants. Run at one mile on the green, the field lacks a true standout, but I have a filly that I like quite a bit in the contest.

Noble Damsel Wagers

• $15 win and place #1 Ocean Club ($30)
• $2 exacta key box 1 with 2,5,8 ($12)
• $1 trifecta key 1 with 2,5,8 ($6)

I’ll tab Glen Hill Farm homebred #1 Ocean Club to lead the field at every call from the rail under the guidance of turf ace Frankie Dettori. Trained by Jack Sisterson, the four-year-old picked up her lone grassy stakes win to date in the Monroe S. on the green at Gulfstream Park in May, and the daughter of Curlin is in a nice form cycle currently. In her latest showing, the Kentucky-bred missed the break in the lucrative Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) at Kentucky Downs, but she rallied from well back to be a clear third behind a superb winner, and that performance seems like an ideal prep for Saturday. 

Ocean Club had been forwardly placed in the majority of her races prior to her venture to Kentucky Downs, and in a field with little pace signed on, I expect her to take advantage of her inner post slot to take command from the opening bell. If the filly is allowed to go slow while clear early, then she will be tough to pass late. 

A trio of horses will be included with my top pick, including #2 Five Towns from the Graham Motion shedrow. The Euro import has shown steady progression this campaign, and her third-place finish behind Full Count Felicia in the Canadian S. (G2) at Woodbine last time out surely looks good right now. Jorge Ruiz will ride. 

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a trio of players in the race, and I’ll use two of them. #8 Saffron Moon has never run a bad one since moving to the weeds and will make her seasonal debut on Saturday. The five-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon registered a trio of commanding wins on the sod last season and looks to be training well in advance of her comeback. Eric Cancel has the assignment. 

#5 Alluring Angel might be the best late runner in the cast and comes off a measured allowance score on the oval in June. The Fastnet Rock four-year-old will be tough to hold off late if she stays in touch early on beneath Manny Franco.