Betting Picks

Jessamine Stakes 2018

Given that the 2017 winner of the Jessamine, Rushing Fall, went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the race is obviously a key handicapping event for horseplayers looking to bet that race this year on November 2 from Churchill Downs.

As is always the case with juvenile races at this time of the year, most of the runners don’t have a lot of racing experience, and that leads to excellent betting odds for many in the field.

Installed as the morning line favorite at 7-2, Florida-bred Fierce Scarlett has two races under her saddle, running fourth in her career debut and then getting the win next time out by a comfortable 4 1/2 lengths racing 1 1/16 miles on the Belmont Park turf.

That race came back in a relatively slow time, and Fierce Scarlett is going to have to fend off a lot more speed in this one.   

Betting Tips

• 1UK Invader Could Be Dangerous
• 2Speedy Solution Needs To Stay Out Of Trouble
• 3Betting The Juvenile Fillies Turf

UK Invader Could Be Dangerous

Primed to take a shot at getting into the Breeders’ Cup, Morovia (4-1 in the ML odds) ships over from racing in Ireland to get her first start on US soil. 

One of the more experienced runners in the field, she has made four starts already and has run very well in her last two going seven furlongs, winning a maiden handicap event in her third race, and then staying on very well to grab second in a Group 3 race behind a filly that has already come back to win twice more.

How Morovia will handle the travel is an open question, but if she takes to the Keeneland turf she’s a logical contender in this field. 

Although she drew a tough outside post, My Gal Betty ( 4-1 in the ML) is already a stakes winner on the turf up at Woodbine where she has been in the money in all four of her races, with two wins. Last time out she ran second in the (G1) Natalma Stakes at one mile, and she should like the extra distance she’ll be getting here. 

She’s a versatile filly that can run up on the lead or take back and make a charge as they come into the stretch drive.   

Speedy Solution Needs To Stay Out Of Trouble

In both of her two races so far, Speedy Solution (10-1 in the ML) has run into traffic trouble, getting up on the heels of other horses while getting to the lead in her first race at Belmont Park in July.

She next raced at Saratoga in August, where she got the win despite having to be steadied early and then taking a hard bump just a quarter mile from the finish in the 1 1/16 mile race.

She’s breaking from the #3 post on Wednesday, and getting clear early and then getting a clean trip might be all she needs to grab a piece of the prize money at what should be lucrative odds.

Jessamine Stakes Picks

• 1) #9 – Morovia (4-1) 
• 2) #13 – My Gal Betty (4-1)
• 3) #3 – Speedy Solution (10-1)
• 4) #10 – Fierce Scarlett (7-2) 

Betting The Juvenile Fillies Turf

In recent years the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf has been an excellent betting race, with the favorite only winning once in nine years, with four winners in double digits during that time.

You can bet the race and kick off the Breeders’ Cup weekend on a positive note with an account at Bovada’s online racebook.