Oaklawn Park: How to bet the American Beauty Stakes

An excellent field of nine will travel six panels at Oaklawn Park on Saturday in the $150,000 American Beauty S. The widely competitive affair boasts contenders from top to bottom in the fantastic betting event that could go in almost any direction.

I have been impressed with the efforts that #8 Wildwood’s Beauty (5-1) has put in at Oaklawn Park in the past and will base my plays around the underrated mare. Trained by Scott Becker, the six-year-old finished a decent third in this race last campaign over a muddy surface, and I expect her to go better in this tilt.

The daughter of Kantharos was a solid wire-to-wire allowance winner off the long break here last time out, and the Florida-bred will move forward second time off the shelf. She has won or placed in four of five locally, and 19 of 23 in her career overall, and she has versatility in her running style, as well. Wildwood’s Beauty gets a perfect post near the outside to match her running style, and I am envisioning her moving to the fore in early stretch with Francisco Arrieta in the controls.

#1 Li’l Tootsie (5-2) is razor-sharp at the moment and rates as the one to beat for Amoss. The Grade 2-placed Tapiture filly has rallied for convincing tallies in two consecutive sprints, and her 6-4-1-1 line at the distance is quite attractive, too. With a rail post combined with a big turn of foot, the bay four-year-old figures to save ground before putting in her best run late behind a swift early pace.

#3 Ain’t No Elmers (12-1) ran her best race when securing the early lead at Churchill Downs in June, and I expect her to be the inside pace of the race on Saturday. Trained by Bret Calhoun, the speedy Goldencents mare didn’t handle the green most recently but will thrive on the surface change in this dash, at a fine price to boot. The dangerous bay will have Ramon Vazquez in the controls.

Purple Mountain S. queen #5 Abrogate (7-2) and the consistent #9 Miss Mosiac (10-1) also appeals to me for the vertical exotics.

American Beauty Wagers

• $10 win and place #8 Wildwood’s Beauty ($20)
• $2 exacta key box 8 with 1,3,5,9 ($16)
• $1 trifecta key 8 with 1,3,5,9 ($12)
• 50-cent trifecta 1,3,5,9 with 8 with 1,3,5,9 ($6)