How to bet With, and Against, Wit in the Bryan Station Stakes

An overflow field of 14 will travel one mile on the Keeneland turf in Saturday’s $300,000 Bryan Station S. (G3). The race for sophomores is led by the Todd Pletcher-trained #8 Wit (3-1), a two-time Grade 3 winner who has thrived since moving to the lawn two prior.

Bred in the Bluegrass State, the son of Practical Joke endured a smart juvenile campaign when taking the Sanford S. (G3) at Saratoga in his second lifetime try, which preceded a solid runner-up showing in the Hopeful S. (G1). He kicked off the 2022 season with a game score in the Bay Shore S. (G3), and following a fourth-place run in the Woody Stephens S. (G1), the dark bay was transferred to the turf.

Wit closed to be second in the grassy Hall of Fame S. (G2) in his lawn debut, and he was last seen easily taking the Better Talk Now S. at Saratoga. The $575,000 yearling purchase has trained well in advance of his first run on the surface and will be guided home by regular pilot Jose Ortiz once again.

#11 Stolen Base (20-1) went off form in the summer for conditioner Mike Maker, but I am expecting a big bounce-back on this occasion. The Bodemeister colt bagged the American Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs in May, and he is also proven on this oval after finishing a closing second in the Bourbon S. (G2) as a two-year-old. The Kentucky-bred bay will be coming from well off the early tempo at a big price with Gerardo Corrales in the irons. He is worth a chance at his morning-line odds.

#7 Double Clutch (10-1) tired late while running 1 5/16 miles at Kentucky Downs last time out and figures to improve on the cutback in distance for conditioner Rusty Arnold. The bay son of Optimizer broke his maiden with authority on the oval in the spring, and he has posted a handful of solid morning drills locally in preparation of his second assignment at Keeneland. Corey Lanerie will be in the stirrups.

Grade 1 victor #5 Classic Causeway (4-1), Hall of Fame (G2) first-placer #1 Ready to Purrform (5-1), and West Coast invader #2 Balnikhov (6-1) will also be on the ticket.

Wit – With

• $4 trifecta: 8 with 7,11 with 1,2,5,7,11 ($32)
• $.50-cent superfecta key: 8 with 1,2,5,7,11 ($30)

Wit – Against

• $1 trifecta: 7,11 with 1,2,5,7,8,11 with 1,2,5,7,8,11 ($40)
• $1 exacta box: 1,2,5,7,11 ($20)