Turfway Park: How to bet the 2022 Queen Stakes

A total of seven fillies and mares will go postward in the $100,000 Queen S. at Turfway Park on Saturday. The six-furlong dash on the Tapeta is headlined by two major contenders in the field, including the Ben Colebrook-trained #6 Club Car (7-5), who is my leading selection.

Club Car has steadily improved in her career and finished off a fine five-year-old season with an 8-2-4-2 line, with all but one of those appearances coming at the stakes level. An all-surface threat who possesses a fine turn of foot, the six-year-old comes in fresh for this one after coming home second in two straight behind the excellent Bell’s the One on the dirt.

Second in her lone local showing, the Malibu Moon mare runs especially well while coming off the short layoff, and her best will make her awfully tough to hold off late in this spot. Kaz Kimura gets the call atop the Kentucky-bred dark bay.

Grade 3 queen #5 Caravel (6-5) went off form in the second half of last season but still poses a big threat in her first for Brad Cox. The $500,000 Keeneland November purchase has faced the toughest opposition of any in the field, and a move back in with the ladies is sure to aid her chances on this occasion.

The Mizzen Mast gray has excellent previous synthetic form with two wins from as many tries, and I expect her to get a perfect trip on Saturday while forcing the action from the opening bell. The Keystone State-bred mare fired a bullet half-mile move in advance of this affair, as well. Gerardo Corrales inherits the mount.

#3 Princess Causeway (9-2) is the third logical player in the ‘chalky’ heat, and she has to be included in the top three for conditioner Ian Wilkes. The talented chestnut has proven to be of stakes quality on both the turf and All-Weather, evidenced by her solid third-place finish in the Wishing Well S. on the course last time out. The six-year-old will stalk the pace from the opening bell with Chris Landeros in the silks once again.

Queen Stakes Wagers

• $15 trifecta key 6 with 3,5 ($30)
• $1 trifecta key 6 with 3,5 with all ($10)