Lady Moscato is the Miss Preakness Value Play

The $150,000 Miss Preakness S. (G3) is loaded with speed and the race seems to set up perfectly for a filly to come from off the pace. Run at six panels on the main oval for three-year-old fillies, the heat attracted a total of 12 talented runners in a race that is worthy of its graded status. 

Miss Preakness Wagers

• $15 win/place/show #5 Lady Moscato ($45)
• $1 trifecta key 5 with 3,4,8,10 ($12)

A handful of contenders will be vying for the edge in the early stages, with #1 Mystic Lake (6-1), #3 Youalmosthadme (2-1), #4 Launch (9-2), #6 Miss Harriett (15-1), and #7 Carmelina (12-1), all involved from the outset. While each of these fillies is good enough to win if they receive the right setup, I envision them forcing each other into rapid early splits and being leg-weary inside the final furlong. 

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained #5 Lady Moscato (6-1) will benefit most from the expected pace clash. Purchased for $800,000 as a yearling, the daughter of Quality Road flashed potential while being runner-up on four occasions as a juvenile, and she has really started to come around this campaign since having blinkers added. The bay graduated on March 17 at Oaklawn Park, and she followed that up with a powerful 8 1/2-length allowance romp on the same course in her first assignment with winners. 

Lady Moscato lost all chance early in the recent Eight Belles (G2) at Churchill Downs behind a very good top pair, and she will improve off of that performance while facing slightly softer and getting back to six panels. She will be well off the pace early before charging home in the lane under Frankie Dettori. 

For the exotics, in addition to the logical ones, I will also include two other contenders that will be coming from the back of the pack. #8 Closing Act (15-1) was a stakes winner in her sophomore debut at Lone Star and has a lot of room for improvement second time off the bench. The 2023 Astoria S. heroine got a good foundation at two and will be overlooked at a big number in this spot with Joel Rosario riding. 

And Ben Feliciano’s #10 Discreet Ops (15-1) has run down clear leaders in each of her two career races to date and will be rallying into contention late once again on Friday. This Army Mule sophomore will face a big class hike in the heat, but she has displayed tactical foot and a closing punch against lesser, and fast early splits will aid her late push under Jean Alvelo.