By Joe Quillen
12/9/23 – Grade 2 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos
Welcome back everyone and happy Saturday as we leave Arkansas and head back to Southern California. We’re not going to San Diego for Del Mar since their meet closed last weekend, but for the mini-meet at Los Alamitos Race Course for Saturday’s Grade II Starlet Stakes going a mile and sixteenth to close the thoroughbred card there. Note that this weekend and next, you will have both a thoroughbred and quarterhorse card there, but remember, the thoroughbreds run during the day, and the quarters at night.
The Starlet is for 2 year old fillies, and Bob Baffert is looking to win this race for the seventh straight year. He’s got two of the six fillies in the field with the 1 Nothing Like You (9/5 morning line) and the 6 Grazia (5/2 ML). Nothing Like You was run five times already and will return to a two turn race after winning the Desi Arnaz last out at Del Mar.
Grazia won her debut race like you would have expected as a heavy favorite at 6 furlongs and should be able to handle the two turns here.
The 2 Pacific Rose (15/1 ML) is a maiden after four races and had racing trouble last time out getting jostled around in a maiden race last month. I think she’s just not as good as the other horses.
The 3 Flynn’s Chance (8/1 ML) who last a mile maiden race to the 4 Great Forty Eight (also 8/1 ML). Flynn’s Chance looks more intriguing to me in this race, as Great Forty Eight will have an apprentice jockey who won’t get the 7-pound weight allowance since this is a stakes race.
Finally, the 5 Chatalas (2/1 ML) could end up being the betting favorite when the race goes off after having a bad start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last month at Santa Anita. But I have to go with a Baffert filly extending his streak on here.
With that, I’m going to take the 6 Grazia to win here. I’ll go $10 to win on the 6, and I’m calling this race 6-3-5-1 in the Starlet. Tomorrow, we will return for Los Alamitos for the Sunday Quills Picks Winners. Good luck everyone!
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