Exotics Plays for the Winter Memories Stakes

A total of 10 sophomore fillies are entered for the lawn in Saturday’s $175,000 Winter Memories S. (G3) at Aqueduct. The one-mile affair on the main grassy oval will be led by the pair of fillies drawn to the inside, and I envision the duo settling things inside the final furlong. 

Winter Memories Exotics Play

• $5 trifecta 1,2 with 1,2 with 3,9 ($20)
• 20-cent superfecta 1,2 with 1,2,3,9 with 1,2,3,9 with all ($16.80)
• 50-cent superfecta box 1,2,3,9 ($12)

#1 Opulent Restraint, one of two in the field for conditioner Chad Brown, has gone close in a pair of graded races in succession in advance of this one and looms large with even minor improvement. The well-bred Dubawi filly went close behind a pair of top-notch ladies two back at Saratoga in the Belmont Oaks (G1), and she is a stakes winner on the local lawn, as well. The cutback to one mile seems like a logical choice, too. Manny Franco has the assignment. 

Dual Grade 2 heroine #2 May Day Ready changed tactics when going to the front early and leading throughout in the Lake Placid S. (G2) in her most recent performance. The bay daughter of Tapit looks to be rounding into her best form in advance of Saturday, and she is two-for-four with a second at the eight-furlong voyage, as well. Joseph Lee pupil will be in the mix late with something resembling her best showing beneath Frankie Dettori. 

Two other contenders in the field are interesting to me, led by Chad Brown’s #9 Griselda. She was purchased in December and was a winner in her first U. S. showing off the long layoff at Saratoga. The City Light chestnut has trained well in the interim, and it’s worth noting that Prat opts to ride her on Saturday. 

#3 Ready for Candy broke her maiden in a big way while making her 2025 debut for conditioner Phil Antonacci. By Twirling Candy, the $400,000 purchase goes from maiden to graded foes, but the dark bay owns a trio of black-type placings from her busy juvenile campaign and also has the second-best last-out Brisnet Speed rating in the group, too. She wouldn’t be a major surprise under Ricardo Santana, Jr.