Star Devine is the Giant's Causeway Stakes Value Play

An overflow field of 15 fillies and mares will sprint 5 1/2 furlongs on the Keeneland lawn in Saturday’s $200,000 Giant’s Causeway S. The cast for the grassy dash is led by the brilliant #3 Campanelle (5-2), a two-time Group 1 heroine from the barn of Wesley Ward. By Kodiac, the lightly raced four-year-old is among the top turf sprinters in training who is always a major threat, and she comes in fresh with Irad Ortiz in the silks. The Stonestreet Stables color bearer removes the blinkers for Saturday and is a top-three must-use without question, but she faces a stiff test in a deep field while making her seasonal bow.

Jorge Abreu’s #2 Star Devine (30-1) has flashed considerable ability from just four career tries, and I expect the talented bay to fire big off the shelf in her four-year-old debut. The Fastnet Rock filly capped her sophomore season with a strong tally in the Galway S. at Saratoga, and she possesses the closing punch that will make her dangerous inside the final furlong while facing a cast that has numerous early types in it.

Star Devine got in a half-mile breeze on the course in advance of her local bow, and it’s always a big positive to see John Velazquez in the stirrups. I envision the bay rating from well off the pace while saving ground, prior to putting in her run turning for home at big odds. She is surely worth the investment at anything resembling her morning-line number.

Defending champ #5 Change of Control (4-1) loves the course and distance for conditioner Michelle Lovell. The Fed Biz mare didn’t offer her best run in the Mardi Gras S. last out, but her top performance will have her in the hunt late with Colby Hernandez in the silks.

California import #8 Hear My Prayer (10-1), Mardi Gras S. runner-up #11 Goin’ Good (8-1), and Todd Pletcher’s #14 A G Indy (10-1) each has appeal and will be used in my exotics plays.

Giant’s Causeway Wagers

• $10 win and show #2 Star Devine ($20)
• $10 exacta box 2-3 ($20)
• .50-cent superfecta 2,3 with 2,3 with 5,8,11,14 with 5,8,11,14 ($12)