Betting With, and Against Prom Queen in the Indiana Oaks

A strong field of six sophomore fillies will travel 1 1/16 miles on the main oval at Horseshoe Indianapolis in the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) on Saturday. Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) queen #5 Prom Queen (9-5) has faced Grade 1 fields in two straight and will appreciate the class relief in the affair. Trained by Brad Cox, the bay daughter of Quality Road had a tricky voyage when fifth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) two back, and she was a distant fourth behind a trio of really good ones in the Acorn (G1) at Saratoga in her latest performance. The talented three-year-old will be closer to the pace on Saturday and rates a big chance with Irad in the irons. 

Prom Queen – With

• $20 exacta 5 with 4 ($20)
• $10 trifecta key 5 with 2,4 ($20)

Prom Queen – Against

• $30 exacta 4 with 5 ($30)
• $5 trifecta key 4 with 2,5 ($10)

#4 Betty’s Pearl (9-2) has earned Brisnet Late Pace numbers of 113 and 101 in two runs since adding blinkers, led by a dominant allowance win beneath the Twin Spires last time out. The Brian Lynch trainee is in her best form, and the $70,000 daughter of Munnings will be a major player with even slight improvement off of her last. I expect the contender to be unhurried early and flying home late, with Mario Gutierrez taking the reins. 

#2 Nahla (6-1), the second from the Brad Cox shedrow, broke her maiden on the oval last time and comes in fresh for her stakes debut in this offering. The Shadwell color bearer will face much tougher competition than she did last time, but she has run well in each of her trio of career runs to date and has the look of an up-and-comer for a high-percentage outfit. The Authentic three-year-old possesses a nice turn of foot, and she will never be too far back in the compact cast. Fernando de la Cruz retains the mount atop the nice prospect, and I feel that she has a lot of exotics appeal in her first big test.