How to bet the 2023 King Edward Stakes

A fine field of 11 will travel one mile on the Woodbine turf course in Saturday’s $200,000 King Edward S. (G2). The Roger Attfield-conditioned #6 Shirl’s Speight (3-1) is the one to beat and holds a big class edge in the event, but I see him being a little bit short for this one as he’s prepping for bigger contests later in the season.

King Edward Wagers

$15 win and place #9 Lucky Score ($30)

$2 trifecta key 9 with 1,2,3,6 ($24)

The Mark Casse-trained #9 Lucky Score (4-1) earned a hefty 107 Brisnet Late Pace number at seven panels on the oval when a close third in the Connaught Cup (G2) last time out, and the gelding gets more ground to work with on Saturday. By Lookin at Lucky, the Ontario-bred has been in very good form since June of 2022 and has also shown improvement since joining this outfit to commence this season.

Lucky Score was second in his seasonal bow which preceded a sharp Highlander S. (G2) coup at six panels, and he seems poised to deliver another fine closing run against this cast. The bay will have regular pilot Sahin Civaci in the controls and will start his run at the top of the lane.

Grade 1 hero Shirl’s Speight closed out 2022 with a superb runner-up performance in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland, and the son of Speightstown was last seen checking in an excellent fourth in the Dubai Turf (G1) while facing a stacked cast at Meydan. The Kentucky-bred six-year-old has trained well leading up to his return from the desert and has a whole lot of class, but he surprisingly doesn’t always do his best work on his home surface. He’s still good enough to win this for sure, but I will limit his inclusion to the gimmicks under Emma-Jayne Wilson.

I will also include the trio of horses drawn to the inside for the vertical exotics. Graham Motion’s Group 2 victor #1 Pao Alto (6-1), 2021 Woodbine Mile (G1) upsetter #2 Town Cruise (8-1), as well as the dual stakes winning #3 The Minkster (20-1), will be included.