How to bet with, and against, Etoile in the E.P. Taylor Stakes

An excellent field of 10 fillies and mares will go 1 1/4 miles on the Woodbine lawn in Sunday’s C$600,000 E.P. Taylor S. (G1). The 10-furlong test on the green has a strong international flair with seven in the cast having started their respective careers abroad, including defending champ and morning-line favorite #2 Etoile (5-2).

Trained by Chad Brown, the French import has performed smartly on the Woodbine course in her career with a 3-1-2-0 local line, and she is following the same path as last campaign when she was second in the Dance Smartly S. (G2) in advance of this bigger prize. The expensive Siyouni five-year-old will be fit making her second start since the spring, and her best performance will make the mare difficult to upend late on Sunday. Irad Ortiz riding is also a positive.

Dance Smartly vixen #6 Mutamakina (5-1) has recently found her best footing since arriving in the barn of Christophe Clement in October 2020. The bay daughter of Nathaniel proved to have an affinity for the surface in her most recent outing, and the tactical speed she possesses may give her an edge over many of her foes in the affair. Dylan Davis retains the mount atop the prime contender.

#9 Keyflower (20-1) has faced lesser in her career, but the French invader could be any kind while making her first run in North America. The dark bay three-year-old faces a tall task, but she has very good current form, and anything donning the Team Valor silks has to be taken seriously in my opinion. The wild card in the cast will have regular pilot Eddy Hardouin in the silks.

Recent Group 3 heroine #1 Waliyak (8-1) has won or placed in each of her six tries in 2021 in advance of her first start outside of Europe for sharp conditioner Roger Varian. The dark bay four-year-old responded well to the move to 1 1/8 miles at Chantilly in her latest venture, and I have a level of confidence that she will prosper with another eighth of a mile to work with while saving ground from the rail. Jack Mitchell comes along for the voyage.

Etoile -- With

$15 exacta 2 with 1,6,9 ($45)

Etoile -- Against

50-cent trifecta 1,6,9 with 1,2,6,9 with all ($36)