By Joe Quillen
We stay at Keeneland for the Friday QPW, and when I saw this race come up, I had visions of the sticking the tongue on the pole seen from “A Christmas Story” as today’s race is the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes, and I double dog dare you catch this race today for older fillies and mares going a mile and a sixteenth on the main track. Post time for today’s race is for approximately 5:16 pm Eastern time.
The 3 Scylla is the 8/5 morning line favorite in the race, and she is a neck away from being three for three in her career. She gets a couple of tests here today. She is in stakes company for the first time today, and she is going two turns for the first time, but the distance shouldn’t be an issue as she is a daughter of Tapit, She looks like she will be about two to three lengths off the lead and ready to pounce as they turn from home. She is second race off of the layoff and could be proving that the last race was a fluke race where she did not visit the winner’s circle.
The 1 Raging Sea (5/2 ML) returns after a five month break to race in this Grade 3 today. She has won going father and should be close to the pace as well. Her kick could be stronger than Scylla’s.
The 5 Saddle Up Jessie (6/1 ML) appears to be on the front end here for this race alongside the 4 Loved (3/1 ML). The five did not show much in the last race and could be a candidate to bounce back here. But she may be contending for the lead here with Lovedwho is a five-year-old mare who has only run in five races, but all her races in 2023 were on the front end. I’m concerned about the second long layoff in her career coming into this race.
I’ll call this race 1-3-5-4, and my play is $20 to win on the 1. Good luck everyone!