By Joe Quillen
Will Rogers Downs Race 8 – Wilma Mankiller Stakes
After a successful trip to New York yesterday, we take a trip don’t take a trip down I-95 back home to Parx, but out to Oklahoma, where the winds come down the plains, where we will take a look at the eighth race at Will Rogers Downs as we have three year old fillies and up going six furlongs today. Post time is set for 5:24 pm Eastern time.
Sometimes when I look at the entries at certain tracks, there are stakes race names where I pull a Conor McGregor and say “who the…”. Oops, I won’t finish that quote. But I did want to look this name up and see who this person was, I found out that she was a Native American activist, social worker, community developer and the first woman to serve as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation per Wikipedia. The race track is associated to the Cherokee nation, thus the association with this race.
Now that we have some Native American history out of the way, let’s get to today’s Quills Picks Winners race. Favored in this field of eleven females is the 4 Take Me Serious (7/2 morning line) who showed that we have to take this mare seriously as she won the Miranda Diane three weeks ago after a 16-month layoff. She’s going to be near the front and could be very dangerous here after getting a race under her belt here.
Take Me Serious might be at the hip of the 3 Palacein (4/1 ML) who is the speed of the speed here. She comes in from Oaklawn but could not hold off the winner Taxed. Taxed was off the board in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn on Saturday, but that filly did take on Grade 1 company. Palacein is definitely not facing that major of an upgrade today compared to Taxed.
Thetruthisthetruth (#8, 6/1 ML) goes back to one turn after tiring in the long stretch of the Shantel Lanerie Memorial at the Fair Grounds. She just missed two back at Will Rogers and could be coming on the outside here to get at least a piece, or possibly even the whole thing here.
The 1 Always Angels (8/1 ML) draws the rail and might have to get some room to run when she turns for home. She’s not going for the lead, but if she’s not locked against the rail, she can make a run here and steal this race.
In the end, I think we have the same situation here like yesterday’s race at Aqueduct. I think Take Me Serious takes over in the stretch and passes Palacein as I eat chalk yet again. But then again, I don’t mind eating chalk in an interesting race if it means catching that ticket and improving my win percentage. I’ll call this 4-3-1-8 and my play is $20 to win on the 4. Good luck everyone!
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