Betting With, and Against, Bodacious Bay in the Mother Goose Stakes

A cast of 11 three-year-old fillies will navigate 1 1/16 miles over the main oval at Belmont Park in Saturday’s $300,000 Mother Goose (G2). The deserving morning-line choice is Saffie Joseph-trained #7 Bodacious Bay (5-2), who was last seen rolling home to a convincing score in the Cotillion (G1) at Parx on Sept. 19.

Bodacious Bay – With

• $25 exacta 7 with 5 ($25)
• $1 trifecta key 7 with 2,3,5,6,10 ($20)

Bodacious Bay – Against

• $3 trifecta 5 with 7 with all ($27)
• $2 trifecta 5 with all with 7 ($18)

The Not This Time filly, a clear second in the Monmouth Park Oaks (G3) two back, has been first or second in each lifetime run and has room to improve with just five career starts to her credit. The $350,000 yearling purchase was flattered when Measure, third in the Cotillion, came back to secure that same position in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) last weekend. Her recent sizzling drill over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga on Oct. 25 was as fast as it gets on that surface, and if she runs to that breeze, then her foes are simply running for second. Micah Husbands retains the mount.

Grade 1 heroine #5 Iron Orchard (12-1) has been wildly inconsistent this season, but she is the controlling speed of the race and will be dangerous with her best performance. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the Authentic filly can be very good when she clears early, as shown by her 12-length stroll in the Fleet Indian S. at The Spa two back. I think she'll show great improvement on Saturday following a subpar run at Parx last time. Dylan Davis has the call, and she is the filly with the best chance to upend the favorite. 

I’ll also use four additional ladies for the vertical exotics with the stakes-placed #2 Answered Prayers (8-1), Cotillion fourth #3 Tap to Open (5-1), Alabama S. (G1) fifth #6 Ati Girl (6-1), and the untested #10 Intrepids Fantasy (8-1) as the ones.