An abundant program occurs at the Kentucky Downs Race Course on Saturday. In this article, we focus on four Graded turf races, including the 2022 Mint Million Stakes that was transferred from the last weekend’s card to this one. Atone seems to be the leading chance here, while among fillies and mares in the G3 Ladies Turf Stakes, Princess Grace faces Dalika again and needs to bring something more to the table to defeat her this time. Fillies and mares also clash in the G3 Ladies Sprint Stakes, where Campanelle headlines the field, upon which Big Invasion attempts to record his first G2 win in the Franklin-Simpson Stakes.
Franklin Simpson
This G2 turf race boasts a purse of $600,000 and welcomes a large field of sixteen three-year-olds. The participants are about to cover the distance of six and a half furlongs, while Big Invasion (8-5) retains the role of a favorite. The Christophe Clement bound bay has seven starts under his belt and only one defeat in his debut. In 2022, he bagged six victories and climbed from a maiden success to the G3 stage, where he triumphed in the Quick Call Stakes in July. Big Invasion spent the race in the midfield, then delivered a great finish, and scored by 2 and ¾ of a length. Subsequently, the son of Declaration of War showed up in a Listed event and easily defeated second Cadamosto (9-2) despite carrying the biggest weight.
It also applies to the Franklin-Simpson Stakes as Cadamosto, fourth in the G1 Commonwealth Cup and trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien, looks like a lively chance, but his start isn’t a sure thing. He belongs among the also eligible contestants, so the favorite’s main rival could be Sumter (9-2). The Richard Mandella trained bay recorded two wins in 2022, including a black-type and Listed wins. Last time out, the War Front colt showed up in the G3 La Jolla Handicap, where he paid a cost for carrying the biggest weight as he fought bravely, yet had to settle for third place.
Run Curtis Run (6-1) is an interesting contender, given he’s set to become a solid G3 performer who has placed twice at the stage, and overall, he’s a consistent colt when not entirely outclassed. In July, he finished second in the Quick Call Stakes behind Big Invasion and could snatch up a good place once again. The last couple to mention is Asymmetric (8-1), an ex-British colt who won the G2 Richmond Stakes in 2021, and Stitched (8-1) thanks to his recent Listed and black-type exploits. He doesn’t look to be in the same league as the favorite but has a solid chance to earn some money.
Franklin Simpson Stakes Betting Pick
Our pick for the Franklin-Simpson Stakes is BIG INVASION, as he’s a progressive sprinter who hasn’t done anything wrong yet. Sumter could be the second best here.
| HORSE | JOCKEY | ODDS BY JAZZSPORTS |
| Call Me Midnight | Adam Beschizza | +3000 |
| Chanceux | Tyler Gaffalione | +1500 |
| Tejano Twist | Francisco Arrieta | +3000 |
| Heaven Street | Vincent Cheminaud | +3000 |
| All in Sync | Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. | +1000 |
| Big Invasion | Joel Rosario | +160 |
| Run Curtis Run | Ricardo Santana. Jr | +600 |
| Sumter | John R. Velazquez | +450 |
| Stitched | Florent Geroux | +800 |
| Asymmetric (IRE) | Irad Ortiz. Jr | +800 |
| Coinage | Julien R. Leparoux | +1500 |
| One Timer | E. T. Baird | +1500 |
| Eva Sing | Jose L. Ortiz | +800 |
| Sky and Sand | Joel Rosario | +1200 |
| Cadamosto (IRE) | Tyler Gaffalione | +450 |
| Hunter John | Reylu Gutierrez | +1500 |
Ladies Turf
Ten three-year-old and older fillies and mares head into this G3 turf race, offering the purse of $750,000. The field will cover the distance of a mile, while Dalika (2-1) looks like the number one here. Although a six-year-old, the Albert Stall jr. bound mare I recorded her first G1 win n August as she prevailed in the Beverly D. Stakes over a mile and a furlong. She’s been very consistent throughout her career, so her last year’s success at the G3 stage seemed like a deserved one. However, Dalika didn’t stop there as she subsequently grabbed two second places, including in the Ladies Turf Stakes, and last time out, she caused an upset at the G1 stage.
Back then, she defeated Princess Grace (3-1) by half a length when carrying the same weight, which also applies to Saturday’s race. The Michael Stidham trained five-year-old mare has five Graded wins under her belt, while she bettered Dalika in the Ladies Turf Stakes 2021, but it’s true that she boasted better form in the past season.
In 2022, Princess Grace has recorded three outings, winning only a G3 in July. She needs to return to her best to better Dalika again or even to defy the third chance of the race – Stolen Holiday (4-1). The Claude McGaughey III bound five-year-old spent most of her career in the Allowance races; however, she quite successfully took on the Listed company and finished second, upon which she scored a G3 race at the second attempt. In June, Stolen Holiday prevailed by a length in the Eatontown Stakes, causing an upset as considered Princess Grace was utterly disappointing back then.
Lady Speightspeare (8-1) will carry the same weight as the mares above, given she won both the G3 Trillium Stakes and G2 Nassau Stakes in 2022, while five-year-old Hendy Woods (9-2) could use her weight advantage over her rivals.
Ladies Turf Stakes Betting Pick
Our pick for the Ladies Turf Stakes is PRINCESS GRACE, who deserves another chance to better Dalika.
| HORSE | JOCKEY | ODDS BY JAZZSPORTS |
| Dalika (GER) | Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. | +200 |
| Country Chick | Kevin Gonzalez | +3000 |
| Hendy Woods | Julien R. Leparoux | +450 |
| Lady Speightspeare | Emma Jayne Wilson | +800 |
| Flippant | Rafael Bejarano | +1200 |
| Sunny One | Vincent Cheminaud | +3000 |
| Market Rumor | Chris Landeros | +1500 |
| Princess Grace | Florent Geroux | +300 |
| Stolen Holiday | Jose Lezcano | +400 |
| Henrietta Topham | Gage Holmes | +2000 |
Ladies Sprint
A large field of three-year-old and older fillies and mares will line up for this G3 turf race, where the participants are about to cover the distance of six and a half furlongs. The purse of $600,000 lured in especially four-year-old Campanelle (8-5) trained by Wesley Ward.
The Kodiac daughter has been all speed since her two-year-old campaign, during which she won the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal Ascot and the G1 Prix Morny in France. After finishing fourth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf, she commenced the season of 2021 with a bang in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, again at the Royal Ascot meeting. In 2022, she affirmed to be still a brilliant sprinter by running third in the G1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes, the last race of this year’s Royal Ascot. Without a doubt, Campanelle is the hot favorite here and isn’t expected to be bettered on Saturday.
Four-year-old Jouster (5-1) represents the most serious challenge for Campanelle as she scored a G2 victory in spring 2021. Indeed, she hasn’t gotten any close to being a G1 sprinter like her rival did, but her 2022 results comprise a Listed victory and third place in a G3. Five-year-old In Good Spirits (6-1) bagged the Ladies Sprint Stakes in 2021, recording her very best performance back then. She hasn’t shown anything similar since, though. The last duo to mention is Bay Storm (8-1), a black-type victress, and Brooke Marie (10-1), who caught off guard her rivals in the G2 Monrovia Stakes in April. Besides this effort, she’s more of a black-type runner.
Ladies Sprint Stakes Betting Pick
Our pick for the Ladies Sprint Stakes is CAMPANELLE because none of her opponents has ever even suggested being as classy as she is. She’s a real star of the field.
| HORSE | JOCKEY | ODDS BY JAZZSPORTS |
| Bay Storm | Tyler Gaffalione | +800 |
| Violenza | Chris Landeros | +3000 |
| Jouster | Joel Rosario | +500 |
| Brooke Marie | Rafael Bejarano | +1000 |
| Creative Credit | Thomas L. Pompell | +1200 |
| Tobys Heart | Adam Beschizza | +1500 |
| She Can’t Sing | Jareth Loveberry | +1500 |
| Candace O | Julien R. Leparoux | +3000 |
| Star Devine (IRE) | Jose L. Ortiz | +1000 |
| Campanelle (IRE) | Irad Ortiz. Jr | +160 |
| In Good Spirits | John R. Velazquez | +600 |
| Elle Z | Mitchell Murrill | +1200 |
| Ready To Venture (GB) | Florent Geroux | +1500 |
| Honey Pants | Tyler Gaffalione | +1000 |
| Touch Of Class | James Graham | +1500 |
| Recoded | Gerardo Corrales | +3000 |
2022 Mint Million Stakes
As the race was canceled the previous weekend due to weather conditions, it was moved to this Saturday, and the field of this G3 turf event was altered. Ten three-year-old and older horses will face off over the distance of a mile while fighting for the purse of $1,000,000, with Atone (3-1) retaining the role of a slight favorite. We preferred him in the former field, and the five-year-old gelding looks appealing once again as the Michael Maker bound bay has been very consistent throughout the season. After finishing fourth in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf, Atone took fourth place in the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes and placed at the G2 and G3 scenes. Last time out, he grabbed third place in an Allowance race, which wasn’t his best performance in the slightest, but he seems to be good enough to bag his premiere Graded victory here.
Five-year-old Pixelate (5-1) achieved his first Graded win back in 2020, and in 2021, he scored the Mint Million Stakes, recording his second Graded glory. Subsequently, the Michael Stidham bound horse failed to impress at the G1 level but placed in a Listed and black-type. So far, he’s hit the track in 2022 just once when finishing third in a Listed, and he needs to build on that form to challenge Atone properly.
The mentioned duo has a weight advantage over Mr Dumas (7-2), a six-year-old with lots of experience at the Graded scene, but his only victory on the stage dates back to 2019. Since then, he delivered only in a Listed, which he did also in June. Mr Dumas looks to be in form, and if he handles the weight, he still could be the fiercest rival for Atone. Multiple Graded victor Field Pass (8-1) deserves mention because he’s quite prone to catch his more preferred opponents off guard from time to time, as he did in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap in 2021. He’s never advised to be ignored. The last to talk about is Somelikeithotbrown (9-2), carrying a smaller weight, who is also a G2 winner, and last time out, the six-year-old won a black-type event, suggesting to be in form.
2022 Mint Million Stakes Betting Pick
Our pick for the Mint Million Stakes is ATONE; however, most of the mentioned horses wouldn’t surprise us by running well in such a competitive field.
| HORSE | JOCKEY | ODDS BY JAZZSPORTS |
| Tut’s Revenge | Vincent Cheminaud | +800 |
| Cavalry Charge | David Cohen | +600 |
| Pixelate | Florent Geroux | +250 |
| Gray’s Fable | Mickaelle Michel | +800 |
| Betwithbothhands | Adam Beschizza | +3000 |
| Mr Dumas | Reylu Gutierrez | +500 |
| Kentucky Ghost | Rafael Bejarano | +600 |
| Injunction | Gerardo Corrales | +1000 |
| Atone | Tyler Gaffalione | +350 |
Check the 2023 Mint Million Stakes Odds & More Kentucky Downs Races
Don´t miss the latest Breeders’ Cup Odds, Racetrack Entries, and Horse Racing Results.
Sign-up and get up to a 10% horse rebate and raise your winning opportunities with our Horse Betting Guide. We have a guide for all levels! Beginners, Intermediate Handicappers!
Follow us on Social Media for more 2022 Mint Million stakes updates!