There are many ways to go in this turf maiden race, which features a slew of new faces. Of the more familiar runners, the one that I think needs to be feared most is SHAMROCK BABE (5). This filly figures to be a decent price in this spot, and I think she’s a bit better than her form suggests. She ran well two back at Gulfstream when making the first move into a race that fell apart late. Then last time she was never given a fair chance as she got buried inside and never had room to run at any point in the stretch while the race was dominated by runners who closed outside. If Junior Alvarado can keep her in the clear while racing more forwardly placed this time, I think she’ll be around at the end.

A few horses ship in from Kentucky for this race. Peter’s Kitten (10) ran well in her debut for Rodolphe Brisset, and the winner of that race, Cloak of Secrecy, returned to run very well in her first start against winners.

I’m using her, but I’m more interested in CHARREADA (8) at a better price. This filly has run fairly well on dirt in her first two starts, but she figures to improve with this surface switch. While there aren’t an overwhelming number of turf influences in the first generation of her female family, her second dam La Reina was Grade 3-placed on turf. Furthermore, she is a daughter of Kitten’s Joy, and they are typically much more proficient over the green stuff. She has reportedly worked very well in New York for this race.