Darley Alcibiades Stakes Picks 2017

Darley Alcibiades Stakes Preview

Restricted to two-year-old fillies running 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland dirt, the Darley Alcibiades looks on paper to be an excellent betting race, with half of the field of 10 listed between 7-2 and 6-1 in the morning line odds. 

Getting the nod as slight favorite is Bet She Wins for trainer Chris Block, who is looking for his first graded-stakes win in two years. A winner of two-of-three lifetime, Bet She Wins overcame all kinds of problems at the start to blow away the field by more than nine lengths last out in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes at Arlington Race Track. 

Prior to that she also had gate trouble when finishing second going one mile on the Arlington turf, but was ulitimately awarded the win by DQ to register her maiden score. She was a strong third in her career debut, also on the Arlington turf. Her recent stakes win was on the all-weather track, so the question is how she will handle the switch to dirt at Keeneland.

Closer Hopes to See Lots of Early Speed

In a race where there are a couple that could show early speed, things may set up well for a closer such as Kelly's Humor (5-1) for trainer Brad Cox.

Two races back she went seven-wide in the turn to roll from ninth place and get up for the win in the seven-furlong Ellis Park Debutante Stakes, and then stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and stepped up to graded stakes competition to again rally from the back to finish second behind a 23-1 longshot in the (G2) Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Breaking from the rail position, Ken McPeek has Princess Warrior (4-1), who sat off a quick pace in a six-furlong maiden event at Churchill last time out, and then showed good speed through the lane to draw off and win by 1 1/2 lengths over a highly regarded favorite. If she can get a good position into the short first turn at Keeneland, she may well have something to say at the end. 

Rounding out the superfecta, Pacific Gale (5-1) is another stakes winner, who bounced back from a poor effort in the (G3) Schulyerville Stakes at Saratoga to take the ungraded six-furlong Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park. She pressed a fast pace early from second place to take over in the stretch and win by 3 1/2 lengths, although the final time through the last furlong was a rather slow 13.04 seconds.

The Darley Alcibiades Stakes goes Friday, October 6 from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Post time is 5:30 PM Eastern. It's the second of two graded stakes on the Keeneland Friday card, and race #9 of 10 on the day. You can bet the full card and get win-or-lose cash back rebates under the Today's Tracks tab at your preferred online racebook. 

Darley Alcibiades Stakes Entries

1. Princess Warrior (4-1)
2. Pacific Gale (5-1)
3. Caroline The Great (20-1)
4. Arrabella Bella (30-1)
5. Over Thinking (12-1) 
6. Bet She Wins (7-2)
7. Kelly's Humor (5-1)
8. Dancing (12-1)
9. Heavenly Love (4-1)
10. Sassy Sienna (6-1) 

Darley Alcibiades Stakes Picks

• #1 - Princess Warrior
• #7 - Kelly's Humor
• #2 - Pacific Gale
• #6 - Bet She Wins

Category : Betting Picks

Tag : Breeders Cup , Horse Racing

More articles...