Exotics plays for the Edgewood Stakes

On Friday, an excellent field of eight sophomore fillies will vie in the $600,000 Edgewood S. (G2) at Churchill Downs. I didn’t love the trip that Grade 3 heroine #2 Vixen (3-1) received in the recent Appalachian S. (G2) at Keeneland last time out and will make her the centerpiece of my wagers in this spot. 

Edgewood Stakes: wagers

• $5 Trifecta: key 2 with 5,7,8 ($30)
• $1 Superfecta: 2 with 5,7,8 with 5,7,8 with all ($30)

One of two major threats in the cast for conditioner Mark Casse, Vixen flashed plenty of potential as a juvenile when runner-up in the Natlama S. (G1) and concluding her two-year-old season with a solid sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and the filly has picked up where she left off in 2025. She annexed the Sweetest Chant S. and Herecomesthebride S. (G3) to start the year, prior to her second-place result in the Appalachian. The stalker will get a favorable voyage stalking the pace beneath Irad on Friday. 

I’ll use a trio of horses with my top pick, led by the fleet #7 Lush Lips (7-2). Conditioned by Brendan Walsh, the European import has improved her Brisnet Speed rating with each outing since arriving in the states, and she could prove to be difficult to reel in with a front-running voyage beneath Flavien Prat. 

#5 Nitrogen (8-5) is three-for-three this season following a strong two-year-old season and gives Casse a strong hand in the tilt. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was visually impressive in her Appalachian victory most recently, and the late runner has never run a bad one in her career. I fear that she will be overbet to some degree in a strong field, however, so I will try to beat her. Jose Ortiz retains the mount atop the talented daughter of Medaglia d’Oro. 

The Jonathan Thomas-trained #8 Will Then (9-2) finished off 2024 with a Grade 3 tally at Del Mar and commenced her three-year-old season with a measured score in the China Doll S. at Santa Anita. War of Will homebred has both tactical speed and a solid closing kick, and the improving filly wouldn’t be a major surprise under fine turf pilot Umberto Rispoli. 

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