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Horse Betting » Horse Betting Articles » “Devil” Back in Action at Spa, “Rachel” at Jersey Shore

“Devil” Back in Action at Spa, “Rachel” at Jersey Shore

By Michael Dempsey

Glencrest Farms’ Devil May Care could not handle the boys in the Kentucky Derby (G1) on the first Saturday of May, but she bounced back in a big way taking the Mother Goose (G1) on June 26 at Belmont Park.

The talented filly will be the short priced favorite in Saturday’s $250,000 Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.

The Todd Pletcher trainee broke her maiden in her debut last summer at Saratoga, and will be looking for her fifth career win in eight starts with regular rider John Velazquez in the irons.

The filly takes on seven foes, and her biggest threat may be Acting Happy, who is coming off a good looking win in the Black Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico on May 14.

The Rick Dutrow trained filly was making her stakes debut, and the effort was flattered when two runners she beat that day came back to win their next starts.

The runner up No Such Word came back to win the Go for Wand at Delaware Park on June 5, then was fourth in the Delaware Oaks (G2) in her most recent outing on July 10.

The filly has a nice pedigree, by Empire Maker out of the stakes winner I Ain’t Bluffing, who won 8 of her 13 career starts for earnings of $582,069.

She is 5/1 on the morning line, and looks as if she may offer better value than going with the favorite, although her final odds may be closer to 3/1 or 7/2 by the time they load the field of nine in the gate.

Biofuel finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Devil May Care in the Mother Goose. The filly was off a step slow, stalked the early pace, and flattened out in the stretch to finish third.

That snapped a two race win streak, both stakes wins over the polytrack surface at Woodbine in Canada.

Connie and Michael, who was the runner up in the Mother Goose is also in the race and looking to turn the tables on the favorite.

She tracked the early pace and finished well, beaten 1 ¼ lengths for the top spot. Two back the filly came back off a six month layoff with a good looking score against first level allowance company.

She will be making her first start for trainer Dominic Schettino, who takes over the training duties from Ken McPeek.

A live longshot in the race is Seeking the Title at 8/1 on the morning line. The filly won the Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie Meadows in her last start with Calvin Borel aboard.

Robby Albarado takes over the riding duties today for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Rounding out the field is recent first level allowance winners Bahama Bound and Absinthe Minded, and Finger Lakes invader Lisa’s Booby Trap.

The 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra is back in action on Saturday in the $400,000 Lady’s Secret at Monmouth Park.

The Steve Asmussen trainee is coming off a 10 ½ length victory in the Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs, her first win in three starts this year after going a perfect 8 for 8 last year.

She faces six overmatched foes and is 1/5 on the morning line.

Look for video analysis and selections from Michael Dempsey on Friday afternoon right here at HorseBettingWorld.com