Prioress Stakes Predictions, Expert Picks, Odds (Saratoga)

Post Position and Odds – Prioress Stakes

Check out our predictions and odds for the Prioress Stakes at Saratoga!

Coming off a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Test, Souper Sensational will look to do one better on Saturday at Saratoga when she headlines a group of six sprinting 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 2 Prioress.

In her outing before the Test, the Mark Casse-trained chestnut won Belmont Park’s Grade 3 Victory Ride in style. Overall, the daughter of Curlin in 3-for-5 in sprint races with two stakes victories.

Chief among her competition will be another filly coming off a solid runner-up finish. The previously unbeaten Edie Meeny Miny Mo stretched out to 1 1/16-miles for the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks last time and led well into the stretch. Unraced as a juvenile, the Upstart filly easily won her first two career starts at Pimlico, going the Prioress distance of 6 furlongs in each.

Two fillies making their stakes debut, Amendment Nineteen and Oxana both should also draw attention from bettors. The former has not been worse than second while running against talented fillies in New York, while the latter has won her only two starts on the dirt by huge margins at Parx.

Best Bets for the Prioress Stakes

Here are my plays ($60 in total)

$5 Trifecta part wheel  – Edie Meeny Miny Mo and Oxana over Souper Sensational, Amendment Nineteen, and Li’l Tootsie over Edie Meeny Miny Mo and Oxana = $30

$5 Trifecta part wheel  – Edie Meeny Miny Mo and Oxana over Edie Meeny Miny Mo and Oxana over Souper Sensational, Amendment Nineteen and Li’l Tootsie = $30

Top Pick:

Edie Meeny Miny Mo (3/1)

Bet on Edie Meeny Miny Mo, Here!

How to Watch the Prioress Stakes

Race Analysis

Souper Sensational

The class of the field, this well-traveled daughter of Curlin has proven herself against graded stakes competition and looks to have found her niche sprinting. In fact, she may need only to run back to either of her last two performances in the Victory Ride and Test to take home the Prioress trophy on Saturday. Drawn to the outside, she will have to chase the speed in here, and as the favorite, I do see her as vulnerable. If she tries to go too fast early, she may not have a strong punch at the end. She is the one to beat, but I am going to take a shot to beat her in the top spot.

Edie Meeny Miny Mo

This daughter of Upstart won her first two starts at Pimlico like a good thing. Both came at 6 furlongs, so the 8 ½ furlong Monmouth Oaks was a tough place to make her stakes debut. Still, she competed well and was only passed by one filly down the stretch. That performance should toughen her up as she drops back down to a sprint. The addition of blinkers on Saturday also should help as she should be able to stay in touch early here. I also like the fact that Victor Espinoza follows her to Saratoga to ride. It’s another tough spot, but I think she has real talent. She is the top pick.

Oxana

After fading out of the picture in her debut on turf, this Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Uptowncharleybrown has impressed since moving to the dirt. She began her main track career by drawing away to an 18-length score against statebreds at Parx on June 23. The Timothy Hills-trained runner followed that up with a 10 ¼-length romp while facing an older, open company four weeks later. Drawn the rail, look for her to go right to the lead under new rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. This will be a big step up in class, but with her speed and talent, I believe she has a big shot.

Amendment Nineteen

This one will make her stakes debut for new connections as she moved to the Brad Cox barn since her last start. She is only 1-for-3 lifetime, but in both of her losses, she finished second to very talented fillies, including last time when second in a Saratoga allowance race. The daughter of Constitution looks like she has the talent to be a graded stakes filly, but dropping down to 6 furlongs could be an issue, as there are some quick fillies in here. Having said that, if the pace is hot, she could be the one finishing fastest of all down the lane. She is hard to dismiss.

Li’l Tootsie

Trained by Tom Amoss, this Tapiture filly will return to sprinting on the main track after a pair of failed efforts, when first stretching out and then trying the turf. Digging a little deeper into her past performances, you can see an affinity for 6 furlongs on the dirt, including a sharp allowance score at Churchill Downs three starts back. A return to form would seem a real possibility on Saturday. It remains to be seen whether she can handle this bunch, but her main track sprint form is good enough to give her a chance at attractive odds.

Cilla

This experienced and improving daughter of California Chrome will make her first start for trainer Charlton Baker on Saturday. She enters the Prioress off a pair of stakes victories, coming in the Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle at Evangeline, and the off-the-turf Blue Sparkler at Monmouth Park. This will be a step up in class for her, and in previous tries against graded stakes company, she proved a non-factor. I cannot throw her out, running for a new barn after two sharp sprint wins, but I do question her class against this bunch