How to bet with, and against, Life Talk in the Gazelle

Ten sophomore fillies with Kentucky Oaks (G1) aspirations will vie in Saturday’s $200,000 Gazelle S. (G3) at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile affair is led by Todd Pletcher’s #5 Life Talk (3-1), who capped her juvenile season with a victory in the Demoiselle (G2) on the course in December. Third in the Frizette (G1) in her only prior run on the strip, the daughter of Gun Runner will add blinkers for the initial time following a subpar showing in the Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs in her 2024 debut, and she will be a tough beat with a top performance second time off the layoff. 

Life Talk – With

• $10 trifecta key 5 with 1,4,7 ($60)

Life Talk – Against

• $30 win #7 Gin Gin ($30)
• $2 superfecta 4,7 with 4,7 with 1 with all ($14)
• $2 superfecta 4,7 with 4,7 with all with 1 ($14)

That poor showing to kick off her sophomore season leaves a lot of room for another contender to break through in the event, however. #7 Gin Gin (6-1), a winner at the distance at this locale in the Busanda S. two back, is my top selection in the race. Conditioned by Brad Cox, the filly ran an even third in the one-turn Busher S. in her latest offering and will improve while stretching out in trip. The Calumet homebred will receive a healthy pace to rally into with Manny Franco inheriting the mount. 

I also feel that the other Cox trainee in the heat, #4 Barbratina (6-1), is sitting on a big run, too. Catholic Boy filly has come home first or second in each of her four lifetime tries to date and will relish both the transition from the synthetic to the dirt, and also the move from eight to nine furlongs. Joel Rosario has the call and will have the lass rolling inside the final furlong. 

West Coast import #1 Where’s My Ring (7-2) has shown vast improvement since having blinkers added two back and the maiden wouldn’t be a surprise from the rail. The Val Brinkerhoff pupil was a clear second behind a really nice prospect in the Santa Ysabel (G3) in her latest venture, and the Twirling Candy filly should handle the added ground on Saturday with relative ease, in my opinion. Tactical sort will always be in range beneath Jose Lezcano.