How to bet the 2026 Gowell Stakes

An octet of newly turned sophomores will run six furlongs on the Tapeta at Turfway Park in Thursday’s $125,000 Gowell S. Five of the eight fillies are coming off wins, including the Kelsey Danner-trained #8 Map of the Moon (2-1). The dark bay daughter of Liam’s Map closed with excellent energy to topple a nice field at Keeneland on debut on Oct. 11, and came back with another late-running score when bagging the Stewart Manor S. at Aqueduct in her second appearance. 

Gowell Wagers

• $12 win #8 Map of the Moon ($12)
• $6 exacta box 4-8 ($12)
• $1 trifecta 4,8 with 3,4,5,8 with 3,4,5,8 ($12)
• 50-cent superfecta 4,8 with 4,8 with 3,5 with all ($10)

The $200,000 yearling purchase has yet to run on the all-weather, but the sophomore spends a lot of time training on the course, and I expect her to handle the transition with ease on Thursday. She will have clear sailing from off the pace under the guidance of regular pilot Axel Concepcion. 

#4 Pure Eloquence (8-1) did nothing wrong when going wire-to-wire in a dominant win on the Gulfstream Park grass in her unveiling. Purchased for $95,000 at OBS in the spring, the Known Agenda filly drilled a bullet from the gate here two works back, and anything resembling her first run will give her a big chance in the tilt. Martin Garcia picks up the mount. 

#3 Woodstock (7-2) has proven to be capable of rallying from off the early tempo, and she has appeal in a field with a bevy of horses that will be sent early on. Trained by Mike Maker, the dark bay Yaupon filly displayed a nice amount of ability as a two-year-old and might thrive on the move to the synthetic for the first time on this occasion. The Kentucky-bred will be asked for her best approaching the turn for home with Pietro Moran in the irons. 

#5 Sassy C W (3-1) might be the ‘speed-of-the-speed’ for conditioner Larry Rivelli. The $375,000 juvenile purchase picked up a pair of stakes wins in 2025 and was last seen tiring late in a deep sprint field on the lawn at Kentucky Downs. Also, by the aforementioned Yaupon, the fleet bay has been training in swift fashion in anticipation of her return, and I like how she got a pair of moves in over the local surface as of late, as well. If the filly can either clear early or prove capable of rating, then she will be an obvious major danger late under Walter Rodriguez.