Oaklawn: Exotics plays for Poinsettia Stakes on Dec. 11

A talented field of seven sophomores will go postward in the $150,000 Poinsettia S. at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/16-mile Saturday feature is led by Arkansas Derby (G1) star #4 Super Stock (9-5), who is sure to take a bunch of money at the windows, but I feel that the son of Dialed In will be overbet and that he is worth trying to beat at a small price.

Poinsettia Wagers

• $1 trifecta box 1, 2, 3, 4 ($24)
• $1 superfecta box 1, 2, 3, 4 ($24)
• $2 exacta key box 1 with 2, 3, 4 ($12)

#1 Last Samurai (5-1) went close when second in the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup S. (G3) at Parx two back, prior to checking in third in a strong allowance tilt at 10 panels at Churchill Downs most recently. The chestnut son of Malibu Moon has shown solid progression during the second half of the season and appears to be sitting on a big race with a further cutback in distance here.

The Dallas Stewart pupil is not the swiftest horse in the early portion of his races but he lands in a spot with a good amount of early tempo in the field, which will aid his late kick. The Kentucky-bred chestnut will be included in all of my vertical gimmicks at a square number. Jon Court will be in the stirrups.

#3 Flash of Mischief (5-2), who has registered stakes victories in two of his last three races, is an obvious contender for Karl Broberg. The bay son of Into Mischief has speed, consistency, and an affinity for the distance. Bred in Kentucky, the bay colt will be a major factor every step of the way with Ramon Vazquez in the stirrups.

Super Stock can’t be ignored for trainer Asmussen. The overachieving bay is proven at Oaklawn Park when defeating a strong field here in the spring, and a top effort will make the sophomore especially difficult to keep out of the top three on Saturday. Luis Contreras inherits the ride.

The Tom Amoss-trained #2 Defeater (3-1) is long on talent but failed in his only try in the stakes ranks when sixth in the Oklahoma Derby (G3). Outside that race, the Union Rags colt has displayed a potent turn of foot on occasion, and if he can duplicate that burst going two turns against this field, he will be very dangerous inside the final furlong for Ricardo Santana.