Race 9 at Oaklawn Park | Saturday, January 7 | Post Time 5:22 PM Eastern

Pippin Stakes | Purse $150,000 | One Mile and One-Sixteenth | Fillies and Mares, Four Years Old and Upward

Top contenders:

Traverse (1) gets the ground saving rail which may be to her advantage as jockey Arrieta can choose to try for the early lead from the start, or allow horses like Graysonmacho Gal (6) or Lovely Ride (3) to get the lead from the opening of the gate, from where Traverse can save ground and come around late. That is exactly what she did in her most recent start, after leading from start to finish in victory prior to that. She showed a lot of maturity, and a quick turn of foot, in that last race, then was flattered when the third finisher came back to win her next start. Since that race Traverse put in a very strong half-mile workout in 47.8 which was the third best of 35 on the day. Having improved from an 85 Equibase speed figure in June to a 95 figure even after five months off, the filly has a big shot to take another step forward and earn her first stakes win, rewarding us by opening at eight to one odds.

Lovely Ride (3) won five of eight races in 2021 including two stakes. Last year she only ran five times but her two races on dirt are the most relevant as she missed by a nose in a stakes in July and won the Mistletoe Stakes over the track last month. That last effort earned her a 96 figure right there with the 95 Traverse earned in her most recent race. Like Traverse. Lovely Ride put in a strong half-mile workout (47.2) which was the best of 41 on the day at the distance. Torres was up for the win last month and rides back and so there is every reason to expect an effort good enough to win once again.

Graysonmacho Gal (6) has more runner-up finishes (6) than wins (4) in her 23 race career, and she had a record of 0-2-0 in four races in 2022. However, she opens at 15 to 1 and she could be the lone front runner. The last two times she was she ran well without winning, most significantly when coming up a head sort of victory in the Iowa Distaff Stakes in July with a 99 figure effort. As such, we cannot ignore this mare when considering our wagers involving this race. In addition, Le Da Vida (2) and Coach (7) can be considered for second on exacta tickets, although opening at 2 to 1 and 7 to 2 odds neither offers good value for win bets. Le Da Vida won her first two starts after importing from Chile, in September and in October, but she was no match for Lovely Ride last month in the Mistletoe Stakes, a race in which Coach played “follow the leader” in second from start to finish and may do so again.

Win bets:

Traverse (1) is the horse I’ll look at first for a win bet, at odds of 3 to 1 or more

Lovely Ride (3) can be bet to win at 3 to 1 or more but will offer less value than Traverse, or even Graysonmacho Gal, so is likely better used on exacta tickets like those below. Still, I wouldn’t hesitate to bet her if her 3 to 1 odds hold up.

Graysonmacho Gal (6) can be bet at odds of 5 to 1 or more.

Exactas:

Traverse (1), Lovely Ride (3) and Graysonmacho Gal (6) over Traverse (1), Le Da Vida (2), Lovely Ride (3), Graysonmacho Gal (6) and Coach (7).