Saturday's Best Bet: Falconet soars to new heights in Iowa Oaks

Saturday’s seventh race from Prairie Meadows is the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks for 3-year-old fillies traveling a mile and a sixteenth on the main track (Post Time - 9:40 p.m. EDT). 

Click here for Prairie Meadows Entries, Results

No. 3 Falconet (7-2) missed by a head in her seven panel bow and followed that up with victories in her next two starts. Todd Pletcher’s early-pressing filly earned quality late pace ratings in all three starts, and I liked the way she rated and kicked away in her lone two turn attempt.

No. 4 Butterbean (5-1) is sharp for Ken McPeek. The versatile filly earned an improved speed rating in a local stakes score at one mile June 11.

No. 8 Nosilverspoonshere (6-1) romped as the favorite in her extended sprint bow at Keeneland April 27 and Jeff Hiles claimed her the day. She stretched out in her second start, and she chased below par fractions and was clearly second best as the beaten favorite. She sports a pair of bullets for this and has upside.

No. 1 Free Like a Girl (3-1) is a decent Louisiana-bred with a 7-for-13 record. Her trainer struck Friday in the Prairie Gold Lassie with Evangeline shipper Janet Is Ready.   

No. 6 Candy Raid (5-2) might be left with too much work to do in this spot. She packs a decent late kick when she has her mind on running, but her best effort was on all-weather ground in the Bourbonette Oaks April 2. 

Wagers:

No. 3 to win

Exacta Box 3-4

Trifecta 3-4/1-3-4-6-8/1-3-4-6-8

Recent best-bet winners
June 28 - Derby House ($4.40)
June 30 - Souper Catch ($3.00)
July 1 - Net a Bear ($6.20), trifecta ($87.80)
July 2 - Crystal Cliffs ($4.20) - dead heat
July 3 - Chasing Artie/The Virginian exacta ($29.00)
Wednesday - First I've Seen/Hannah's Haven exacta ($17.40)