How to bet the Vigil Stakes

A field of eight will jaunt six panels on the All-Weather strip at Woodbine in Saturday’s $150,000 Vigil S. (G3). Conditioner Robert Tiller won this race four years in succession when the legendary Pink Lloyd captured the heat from 2017-2020, and the trainer looks to have another dynamo on his hands with #6 Patches O’Houlihan (7-5). 

Vigil Stakes Wagers

• $6 trifecta key 6 with 2,3,7 ($36)
• $2 trifecta 2,3,7 with 6 with 2,3,7 ($12)
• $2 superfecta key 6 with 2,3,7 ($12)

By Reload, the three-year-old gelding dons a six-for-seven career mark in advance of this dash, which includes a sterling five-for-five mark on the main oval at Woodbine. The fleet gelding was especially impressive last time out when getting tested in the lane before proving best in the Bold Venture S. (G3), and a similar effort from the expected pacesetter will make him difficult to crack on Saturday. Daisuke Fukimoto will guide the top pick once again. 

The well-bred #2 Old Chestnut (8-1) chased the top pick from the start last time and held up well late when third for trainer Martin Drexler. Claimed for $32,000 in the fall, the gelded son of Speightstown has run well in four graded stakes races in succession and will receive a better voyage with a target to run at in the stretch. The chestnut put in a swift four-furlong morning drill most recently and will be in the hunt late under Rico Walcott. 

#3 Souper Watson (12-1) had finished first or second in his first four runs of 2023 prior to finishing an even fifth in the Bold Venture last time out. The gray son of Ghostzapper has hit the board in 15 of his 21 career attempts on the oval, and the talented stalker could be well placed approaching the turn for home to make an upset bid beneath Sahin Civaci. He is a prime exotics contender in my opinion. 

George Weaver’s #7 Outlaw Kid (5-2) rallied to bag the Vice Regent S. on the turf in his latest offering and could be almost any kind while making his synthetic debut in this spot. The four-year-old son of Violence has faced solid competition this campaign and still has room for improvement being relatively lightly raced. Kaz Kimura will take the reins.