Turfway Park: How to bet the Gowell Stakes on Dec. 26

An octet of two-year-old fillies will travel six panels on the Tapeta at Turfway Park in Sunday’s $100,000 Gowell S. My focus will be on a pair of ladies in the well-matched field.

Gowell Wagers

• $10 exacta box 5-7 ($20)
• $1 trifecta 7 with 3, 5 with all ($12)
• $1 superfecta 5, 7 with 5, 7 with 3 with all ($10)
• $1 superfecta 5, 7 with 5, 7 with all with 3 ($10)

Fern Creek S. heroine #7 Marissa’s Lady (5-2) has looked the part from a pair of fine tallies on the dirt at Churchill Downs to kick start her career. Trained by Bill Morey, the Violence homebred was ultra-game in running down a clear one on debut, prior to professionally dispatching her six foes en route to her first black-type tally.

The unbeaten gray Kentucky-bred shows two solid morning drills on the surface, and she possesses both the speed and closing punch to thrive at the distance. If she handles the All-Weather, which I believe that she will, then she will be super tough on Sunday with regular pilot Rafael Bejarano in the silks.

I am also a fan of recent Woodbine maiden victress #5 Vantarsi (4-1), who will make her first run since joining the barn of Brendan Walsh. By Speightstown, the Kentucky-bred dark bay won in a virtual hand ride at her third start, and she seems poised to make a major impact while making her stakes and local bow. Gerardo Corrales will guide the $80,000 yearling purchase.

I will use the aforementioned pair in my horizontal plays, as well as keying the duo on top for the vertical wagers. #3 Beverly’s Charge (12-1), a hefty $80,000 claim for Mike Maker, will make her synthetic debut in the stakes ranks. The Greeley’s Conquest filly had been a sharp winner of two straight sprint races prior to fading in the stretch when going long most recently, and I feel that the cut back in trip will be a very good thing. I expect her to challenge for a top-three spot with Edgar Morales taking the reins.